The Wilds Daughter
by Shadow Nightblade
Summary: Weiss lived her life as a Schnee, not knowing the truth that was hidden from her. One that her own true mother begged Willow Schnee to keep from her. With that secret brought a new life for Weiss, and Willow raised her as her own. Never breaking the promise she made to her old friend. Wolf Weiss story.
1. Prologue

**Story? New one? Sure, why not. Weiss centric? Duh. I am who I am.**

 **Here's chapter 1, everyone**

* * *

"What? No, that's not… No, I can't do that. She's YOUR daughter." Willow said to her close friend, holding the wolf pup in her arms, but she wanted to give the pup back to its mother.

The giant white wolf shook her head and let out a whimper when she looked down at her pup. "Please, don't make this harder on me than it already is, Willow. You know I would stay here in Atlas if I could, but I can't. Being marked means my human form is known now too."

Willow knew why. There was no doubt in her mind that the pup wasn't marked, and she was safe with Willow. "How can I take a child away from her mother?" Tears were threatening to fall, but she had to keep herself composed.

"Old friend, you know I would never ask you of this if I didn't know the risk of keeping her." The white wolf said to saddened woman, but when she saw Willow look down at the pup, she smiled. "I love her, and I know you do as well. I know how much you care about my little Weiss, so please, give her a happy life."

Willow quickly lifted her head up and bit her lip. "How can I do that, Lazuria? She's a wolf pup, and I'm a human. You know I can't support her this way." She wasn't trying to avoid taking care of the pup, but her concern was whether she was the right person to raise her.

The white wolf walked over behind a tree and pawed at something that surprised the white haired woman. It was a basket that could hold a baby with a blanket in it. "My little Weiss is able to transform as well, Willow. She can be human."

"Damn it, Lazuria. I already told you that she deserves to be with her real mother." Willow protested.

"And she'd be with me for a few days at the most before my mark gets her killed!" Lazuria yelled, but regretted it since the wolf pup woke up and started crying. "W-Weiss…"

Willow immediately rocked the pup back and forth in her arms. "Shhh, sweetie." The white haired woman gently rubbed her wolf ears and frowned. "I'm here… I'm here." She decided to kneel on the snow, not caring about how cold it was as she kissed the pup on her head, which was working on getting her to calm down.

Lazuria smiled, feeling even more confident about her choice. "You see, Willow. Even when she's not human, you're able to care for my little Weiss. And about what you said-."

Willow stood up when the pup looked happier in her arms, even wagging her small tail. "Stop. I understand now." A sigh escaped her lips. "Well, more like I accept it now. You want her to be safe, and while I believe she should be with her mom… I know things just wouldn't work out that way." She sniffled a bit. "I'm sorry."

Lazuria walked over and leaned down, nuzzling Willow a little. "Don't be. This isn't your fault." Tears began to fall from her eyes. "If you could, place her down for me." Willow nodded and gently put the wolf pup down on all fours on the snow. "Weiss." She whimpered and leaned down, moving her snout close to her pup.

The little pup cried out, moving a bit, but barely as she didn't know how to walk yet. Willow helped her and moved her closer, allowing the white wolf to lick her pup's head.

"I love you so very much… And I know you could never forgive me for what I'm about to do, but I do know this. You'll live a happy life this way. And one where you won't ever be marked." Lazuria used her tail to grab the basket and moved it to Willow. "Wrap her in the blanket, and keep her in the basket for me. Then hold up the basket."

Willow closed her eyes for just a moment, nodded and then held the pup, wrapping her up in the blanket as she placed her in the basket. The white haired woman held up the basket as Lazuria sat down and closed her eyes. Willow knew what she was doing once she was told the pup could become human and watched as light surrounded both Lazuria and the basket holding the pup.

" _I'll miss you, my little Weiss. But you'll be truly happy being Willow's daughter, and Willow… Thank you for everything, old friend."_

It was like a whisper in her mind had passed through, and the flash of light that proceeded caused Willow to shut her eyes. When she was able to open them, she saw that her friend was nowhere to be seen, and cries were heard from the basket.

Willow let the tears fall at that point, lowering the basket as she looked down into it. What she saw, and what she knew she would see was a human child with white hair and azure eyes. Willow bit her lip and cried harder that night.

In the distance, snow blocked any way of seeing the white wolf who watched her closest friend crying. "I'm sorry, Willow… I swear I'll come back one day." With that, the marked wolf jumped away and ran off, hoping to get as far away from her daughter as she could so she could keep her safe.

The wind blew harder, making Willow gasp as she quickly pulled the basket close to her body to keep the baby from freezing. "Klein…" She did her best to walk out of the forest she was in and once she reached a certain point, she lit up a signal flare and hoped no one else would see it.

Luckily for her, no one did besides the one person who needed to. "Mrs. Schnee, is-." He stopped himself when he saw the baby in the basket crying softly. "Is this her?"

Willow nodded. "Yes, but we can't stay any longer. Get the car started. I don't want her out in the cold any longer than she has been." The shorter man nodded and ran to the car that was not far off from them. Once he pulled up, Willow opened the door and placed the basket in the backseat as she got in after. "Drive slow."

Klein nodded and buckled up as he looked back and saw Willow holding the basket in her lap. "What of Lazuria? Is she…" He didn't want to say anymore.

Willow sighed. "She's marked, but alive." The white haired woman looked down at the baby, who still cried softly in the basket, so she leaned her hand down and placed it on the baby's head. "It's genius in her defense." Klein said nothing, waiting on Willow to explain. "She has white fur and blue eyes. Of course her daughter would be the same, so for me, the one to take her in would make it seem like she is my child." Willow teared up. "What can I do, Klein… What if I can't be a good mother?"

"Mrs. Schnee, you are not one to ever doubt yourself, and this will not be the first time either. You have done an amazing job raising Winter, and I know you'll do the same for her too." Klein stated, keeping his eyes on the road as he drove.

Willow knew what he meant, so she took a breath and rubbed Weiss' head, gasping when she realized she had stopped crying and tried to grab her hand. It made Willow cry. Not just because of what she was doing, but because her closest friend wasn't allowed this.

"D-Don't worry, Weiss. I'm here." Willow let out a small smile, letting the baby hold her finger the best way she could. "Winter will have questions… Ugh, Jacques will have, problems."

"If I may, Ma'am. Your husband, my boss has already had press issues." Willow raised an eyebrow at Klein's words. "I do pay attention to the news, Ma'am." He chuckled and continued. "Anywho, news of another child, a new heir could spark up positive publicity."

"Even so, how would we explain her birth? She's-." Willow was cut off.

"You wouldn't believe what people of Atlas would eat up when they are told lies." Klein's eyes were red as he snickered. "During times of when you're on camera, make yourself look 'bigger'." He used air quotes for a moment at a stop light. "Then on a day, any you'd like to pick, you come out and tell the press of the newest addition to the family at a grand opening."

"A grand opening? What are you talking about?" Willow inquired.

Klein's eyes went back to normal. "I'm sure you can find anything out there to have a grand opening for. Your family name still means something to the people."

Willow sighed, knowing that may not last for long as she looked down at the baby in the basket, still holding onto her finger. "I suppose we'll have to try something."

"Mr. Schnee is a man of business. This is, as he would call it, a golden opportunity." Klein said, but Willow wasn't too sure.

"I don't know." Willow sighed and let out a small smile when she saw Weiss trying to squeeze her finger. "Jacques would put so much pressure on her. I can't risk that."

"Keeping her a secret is next to impossible, Ma'am, and remember how Winter has been. Already seven and she's shown more of a desire to not be part of the company. She has a goal in mind, and your husband is… Less inclined to get in the way when he's busy dealing with the company to notice." Klein stated, but felt bad at the truth. "And… I know you don't like to hear this, but I do remember you once confided in me that he wants a son to be his heir."

Willow hated that night, but she nodded in response. "Yes, that much is true. He doesn't want a daughter taking over, so you may have a point."

Klein was at another stop light, so he closed his eye for just a moment to take in what he's learned working for the Schnees. "In my time, I've seen young Miss Winter grow, and she's done more than I thought she'd do. I have faith that Lazuria's daughter will be just as strong."

He was very supportive of the Schnee family, mostly Willow and Winter, and to add to his list, Weiss. It made Willow hopeful that things could work out, so she looked at Weiss and smiled when it looked like she was started to fall asleep.

"Weiss Schnee. It does have a nice ring to it, but in my heart, I know she is Weiss Okami." With that, Willow looked out of the car window and wished she could see her old friend, but knew she was long gone.

" _Lazuria, I hope you don't think I see Weiss as a burden, because I truly don't. One day, I don't know when, but one day I promise you'll see her face to face again."_

* * *

"Ma'am, we're here. Would you like me to stay with her until you-." Klein was cut off before he could continue.

"No. I can face him with her in hand. Just promise me not to speak a word of who she really is. I'll just tell him I was… Desperate and ran into an orphanage. I'll use your suggestion and hope it works out." Willow explained as Klein nodded and got out of the car, walking over to where she was seated to open the door. "Thank you, Klein."

"There is no need to thank me. Only do what you need to so that she's safe." Klein said as he looked down at the baby, getting a surprised look from Willow. "If what you told me about Lazuria is true, then I have more of a reason to help you." He chuckled. "It's not like I needed a reason to help you of course, it just makes me think about this young girl's future."

Willow sighed, thankful she had Klein to help her, and she knew once Winter got to know Weiss, she'd be as supportive too. "You're more than just help, Klein. And before you say it, I say thank you because I want to, not because I feel obligated to." She gave the shorter man a one armed hug and pulled away after a few moments.

Her worry was still present, but she sucked it up and walked up to the manor with the basket in hand, Klein following close behind as they got to the door.

" _No matter what he says, I need to keep her here. In some way."_

Willow took a deep breath and pushed open the door after using the fingerprint scanner that her husband felt was needed to add to their home. "Klein, tend to the kitchen for now. I don't need him bombarding you with questions." Instead of saying anything, Klein simply nodded and bowed. After seeing him walk off, the white haired wife of the CEO looked down at Weiss. "It's time to meet your new family, sweetie." She smiled since the baby was sound asleep.

* * *

"You don't know what is best for this company, James. I do. Now if you could do me a favor and stop pestering me about what choices I make for MY business." Jacques rolled his eyes while on call with the general.

The CEO heard a sigh in response. "I'm not trying to tell you how to run your company, Jacques. I'm giving advice on what you could do to-."

"Enough. I don't need to do a thing to balance the reputation of this company. Enough people have already invested into it, and not only that," The CEO smirked. "Who else on Remnant can match the Schnee Company in this competitive market?" After hearing another sigh, Jacques kept his smirk going. "That's what I thought. Now then. I have other matters to attend… To…" He trailed off when the door to his office opened and revealed his wife, holding a basket in her hand. "James, remind me to call you back to discuss something more worth my time." Before the general could respond, he ended the call and looked at his wife while squinting at the basket. "And what is this?"

Willow walked forward, not letting him see the baby in the basket. "This… Is someone I want you to meet." She pulled up a chair and took a seat, giving him full view of the baby in the basket. "Before you blow a gasket, she's sleeping."

Jacques stared at the little baby in the basket. "I will ask again… And be thankful I am not raising my voice. What. Is. This?" The way he spoke was a little worrisome for Willow, but she didn't want to back down.

"I was out, so on the way back, I saw an orphanage." She tried her best to keep the lie going. "Honey… I missed this feeling. Raising a child. Winter is old enough to have her own needs in life. I want this…"

"To just pick up some random… Orphan. Without even consulting me?" Jacques looked angry, but he kept calm since, while he was a businessman, he felt even he couldn't yell in front of a sleeping baby. "How far did you think this would go?"

"Far enough to hope that somewhere deep down you still have a heart." Willow outright said, knowing it would annoy him, but she couldn't hold back, not that time.

Jacques pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance and had one eye closed, but the one that wasn't was looking right at the baby. "Why now?"

"Because she was alone… Winter doesn't need me as much as she used to and I want this. Not to mention you're busier than ever. Please, Jacques. Don't make me take her back." Willow hoped that her lies would be enough.

Jacques pointed at her for just a moment, but pulled back and groaned. "I… Fine. Fine, but this will never happen again. Do I make myself clear?"

Willow was relieved and nodded to her husband. "Yes, I do. Now then, I need to get her in an actual bed." She got up to leave, but as she turned around, her husband coughed to get her attention, so she turned back around to face him.

"Another girl. You know my stance on this." Jacques reminded her.

"I do, but that doesn't mean I can't have the children I want in my life. So understand that you'll also continue to have daughters even after… That is if we ever have a son." Willow said, walking out of his office before he could say anything else to her.

Jacques looked more annoyed than furious, but he didn't feel it was worth his time to yell over, so he simply went back to his paperwork and reminded himself that his talk with Willow about this new child wasn't over.

With getting Weiss in the manor, Willow was one step closer to honoring her promise to Lazuria. As she walked down the hall, she noticed Winter's door was opened, so she smiled and walked over. "Winter, are you in your room, sweetie?"

"Yeah." Winter called out and her mother walked in. The seven year old was sitting on her bed while writing in one of her books as she looked over, seeing her mom walking in with a basket in her hand. "Hey, mom. What's in the basket?"

Willow's smile grew bigger and she walked over, kneeling next to Winter's bed. "Not what. Who. This, Winter, is your little sister. Her name is Weiss."

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 **This story has been an idea I've had for over two years now, and while I've had recent issues on RWBY stuff, I don't know what it is, but this story has just made me wanna get really back into the writing mindset. It's a story I'm loving to write, and overall, I just wanna share it with people. So, I hope this is a story people enjoy.**

 **There's a lot of people I wanna thank. Most of them from the group I'm in, who are now my friends in Legion 205. Check out their stories if ya haven't already. Angelsixtwofive, BurningPeace, TotoTail, NobleMETA, Phoenix Commander. Thanks for looking over this chapter.**

 **BurningPeace helped with the name of the story, so thank you for that one, and the many other suggestions you gave.**

 **Phoenix Commander helped with the name of Weiss' mother's first name, lifesaver on that one cause I couldn't think.**

 **TotoTail has been reading a bunch of the already written chapters, so thank you for letting me know how it's been.**

 **And I wanna thank a tumblr user that goes by the handle, weisscoldglare for being really active with posting awesome art almost every day, if not every day. it inspired me to get back into the old writing mood I had before.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed the prologue. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 2.**


	2. The Blacksmith

**Here's chapter 2, everyone.**

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"Hiya!" Weiss yelled out as she swung her toy sword around, while Winter chuckled watching her. "Take that!" The eight year old grinned and hit the pillow Winter was holding up for her to practice on.

Winter enjoyed playing with her little sister, even if she was fifteen. "You know, a pillow monster will quake in fear when it meets you, little sister."

Weiss giggled cutely and sat on the floor, watching as Winter lowered the pillow. "When is mama coming back from shopping? I wanna play with her!" The eight year old whined.

"Come on, Weiss. You know whining won't get you what you want." Winter noticed her words made her younger sister frown, so she scooted over and sat next to her. "Mom will be back in a little while. Promise." She wrapped an arm around Weiss and pulled her close. "You don't want mom to see you sad, right?"

The younger sibling gasped and shook her head a bunch. "N-No." She quickly smiled and Winter chuckled as she ruffled her hair a bit. "I'm sorry."

"For whining? Don't be so sorry, little sister." Winter stood up and offered her hand to Weiss, who happily accepted and was lifted up. "We should clean up before mom gets back though."

Weiss looked around and noticed that some pillows were thrown around and the bedsheets were pulled down a bit. "Oops." She giggled a bit.

"Yeah, oops." Winter smirked and ruffled Weiss' hair again, earning a pout from the younger sibling. "If mom finds out I'm telling her you wanted to play knight again."

"Winter!" Weiss whined again. "You said we could!"

"Yes, and I also said whining will get you nowhere, so stop pouting and help me clean up." Winter said. "If you do, then I promise the next time I go shopping with mom I'll get you that dress you really wanted."

Weiss gasped happily and quickly started gathering the pillows from the ground, doing her best to get them on the bed as fast as she could. It made Winter chuckle as she herself started setting the pillows back up in a cleaner manner.

* * *

"Don't start with me, Willow. You know what we talked about when you brought her here." Jacques said over the scroll, which Willow could only roll her eyes at his response. "Whitley is all I need to worry about."

"And what of Winter and Weiss? Do you wish to pretend they don't even exist? Is that what you'll do, just because they aren't boys?" Willow growled, but kept her voice down since she was in a public place.

"I let her have a home, and enough butlers to take care of them. Besides, what would I even do with them. Those two have obviously no interest in the one company that gives them a roof over their heads." Jacques fired back.

"They're your children!" She whispered in anger, wishing she could blow up on him.

"No. Winter is. Weiss is not. Winter is old enough to do what she wants, so any argument from this point on that you try to make is invalid." His words stung, and Willow was digging her nails into her palm.

"What happened to having a heart… She looks to you as her father. You know this, Jacques." Willow pleaded.

"I am a realist. You knew this. Now then, I have business to attend to." Jacques expressed his distaste in the conversation, but he waited on his wife's response.

"It's always business." Willow looked saddened. "Fine. Do what you want, but at least be there to say happy birthday. Please do that at least."

She heard Jacques groan. "If it'll make you stop hassling me, then fine. Goodbye."

Willow stood in the spot she was at, sighing to herself as she closed her scroll and put it in her purse. "Damn it." She cursed under her breath. "No, don't let him ruin this day." Willow took a breath and walked around the town with one bag in hand. One very important bag. "Come on, where is it?"

Atlas was always filled with a multitude of places to go, ranging from clothes stores, to nightclubs, to aquariums, but for Willow, it was to find a certain blacksmith.

" _Where are you? Come on."_

She was starting to feel annoyed as she reached into her purse and looked at the directions. "An address would have been so much better, but no… It always has to be some kind of puzzle." Willow sighed and when she looked up from the paper, she realized she was standing right in front of where she needed to be. "Of course…" With a groan, she walked in and looked around, smelling the iron in the back being smelted.

It wasn't foreign to her, as she's had to go back and forth with this person's smithing shop. "You know, it's always fun messing with you, Willow." The woman grinned as she walked over with her goggles still on, dirt on her face from her work.

"Summer… You keep moving from place to place. Why can't you ever settle in one spot?" Willow asked as she set her bag down.

With a chuckle, Summer lifted her goggles up and shrugged. "What can I say? I like moving around a lot. And besides, I'm used to going from kingdom to kingdom, so spot to spot here in Atlas is a cakewalk."

"Yes, I get that. Moving around is your thing, but sometimes it's better to just keep something planted." Willow said as she took a seat on one of the chairs Summer pulled over.

Summer let out a small grin and stuck her tongue out at Willow. "To each their own, right?" Willow playfully rolled her eyes and Summer sighed happily. "In all seriousness though, I am thinking about settling down a permanent spot in Patch. My family is out there… And I know how they get when I take jobs all the way up here."

Willow knew all about family. Hers was all over the place, but she still couldn't gloss over how Summer felt. "If you want my opinion, I think you should."

"Really?" Summer was a little surprised.

"Yes, you're one of the best blacksmiths on Remnant, and I would miss our talks here and there, but you have a family that you yourself miss every day. Don't think I don't pay attention, Summer." Willow got up and placed her hand on Summer's shoulder. "Be with your family and do something you love."

Summer sighed and hugged Willow, knowing the white haired woman would be a bit flustered by it. "Thank you, Willow… And, don't take this the wrong way, but… I feel like you should be doing the same."

"What do you-." Before she could continue, Summer interrupted.

"Don't think I don't pay attention either." Summer's tone was a lot more serious. "Jacques, he's an ass. And don't tell me he isn't." Willow sighed in response and Summer continued. "You have three kids you love to no end, but you tell me he barely pays attention to two of them."

"I… I can't say I'm surprised, okay." Willow sat back down, feeling stressed just from talking about Jacques, and Summer waited as the white haired woman held her hand on her head, closing her eyes. "I was speaking to him on my way here. I had to beg him just to say happy birthday to Weiss."

Summer wanted to swear, but she held it in and sat next to her friend, dusting off the round table they were sat at. "A father shouldn't need to be begged to say happy birthday to his child, or even asked to. He should do it because he loves her."

"That's…" Willow took a breath. "That's just it. I don't think he does love her. He doesn't even consider her his daughter." She wanted to cry, but with Summer, she was able to fight off the tears. "Sometimes I wish I could take my children and leave, but… I'd leave behind my family legacy and risk my children's wellbeing if I can't support them alone."

"You can always come with me. You know that I'd help you." Summer insisted.

Willow was able to somehow let out a small smile, placing her hand on Summer's. "I know… But it would tear my family apart as well. I can't do that to my children."

"You're a caring mother, Willow." Summer gave her a one armed hug, but deep down she was sad for her friend. "I want to help you… I will help you. Just, I'll find a way."

"Stop being so dramatic." Willow wiped away a tear that had managed to slip past her. "Come now. I did show up here for more than a chit chat with an old friend."

"Hey! I'm not that old!" Summer playfully whined as she jumped out of the chair, making Willow chuckle in response, so the blacksmith grinned. "There's the laugh. I knew I could get it out of you."

"Yes, yes, you did a good thing. Add it to the list of the many good deeds you have done." Willow smiled and got up, reaching into the bag she brought over. "Hmm, I believe… Yes, here it is." She pulled out a paper, specifically one Summer had given her. "I believe this will do."

When Willow handed Summer the paper, she couldn't help but smirk. "So this is what she wants?" When Willow nodded, Summer put her goggles back on. "This baby is gonna be a work of art when I'm through with it. I just need to see if I have the right material."

"If Jacques is good for one thing, it's his connections. I can have whatever material you need delivered. Just tell me the name and I'll work on it." Willow replied.

"Hmm, nah, I don't think I'll need it. I got the material I need." Summer winked at her. "Trust me."

Willow was surprised she would have the kind of material for the weapon she was going to make and followed her to the back. "Elegance is usually not the word I'd associate your work with… So unless you've been-." Willow stopped and looked at the brick shaped material that Summer placed on the table.

"You were saying?" Summer had her grin on, making Willow groan. "This bad boy was given to me as a reward for working on the Arc line of armor. So, yeah, I don't mind using it for this project."

"I-I… That means a lot to me. Thank you, Summer." Willow said as she decided to give her the hug this time. "And, um, I'm sorry for asking you to make this so many years in advanced."

Summer pulled away and flicked her on the forehead, earning a yelp from the white haired woman. "You are way too apologetic when you don't need to be. And besides, I did say I want to move my workshop to Patch… So now is the best time to get working on this."

Willow rubbed her forehead and pouted a bit. "Fine, I suppose that what you say does bring up a good point." She looked down at the silver colored material. "How long do you think it'll take?"

"A week, two at the max." Summer guessed. "Still, thinking about it, this one is gonna be a lot harder on you to keep from her for a few years."

"I know, but I can't just give her a weapon at her age. You know that." Willow stated. "To have it made though, it's all that matters. I just can't wait for the day I show it to her."

Summer grinned again. "Pictures. All of them, and I wanna be the first to see them. Got it?"

Willow playfully rolled her eyes. "Seeing as you'll be making the gift, I suppose it's only fair." Something in Willow's heart made her smile as she brought her hand to her chest, earning a confused look from Summer. "S-Sorry. I was just thinking about Weiss."

"I said it before, you're a caring mother. An amazing one at that." Summer smiled.

Willow never did tell Summer the truth about Weiss, but in her heart, she felt it wasn't needed to be told. Weiss was her daughter, not by blood, but she realized it the first year she took Weiss in. She loved her like a daughter, and raised her as her own, but she still never forgot her promise.

"Remnant to Willow." Summer snapped her fingers in front of the white haired woman's face, getting her to focus back on her. "You in there still?"

"S-Stop that." Willow lightly slapped her hand away. "Can't a woman just think for a bit?"

"Staring off into the smelting pot for more than a minute there was a little more than just thinking, y'know." Summer teased.

Willow sighed. "Then let a woman doze off. Because this one is very tired and would really enjoy a nap before heading home."

Summer offered her hand to Willow. "Here, I'll let you nap on my bed. It's just upstairs."

"An angel in disguise." Willow felt relieved and took her hand. After being led up the stairs and into her room, Summer guided her to the bed and helped her lay down. "Just one hour will be fine."

"I'll be your alarm clock." Summer joked. "And don't worry about the project. I promise I'll get it done before I head to Patch. Just get some rest, and hey, I may just drop by later to see the little snowflake." Summer smiled and pulled a blanket over Willow, knowing the mother was going to have a very tiresome day.

Willow was happy to hear her say that and nodded, not wanting to say much as she closed her eyes and let herself get some much needed sleep.

* * *

 **A lot of differences here, obviously. I wanted to get a lot changed in the history of this for most of the characters, meaning Summer is alive, and other people will be affected too. Also, to clarify, Weiss isn't a Faunus in this. The form she is in, is one hundred percent human, but she was born as a wolf.**

 **Also, thank you all so much for how this story has been received so far. I'm happy people are enjoying it.**

 **To JJ- Thanks. This one is just overall something I am loving right now. I can't get enough of writing it and I can't wait to show everyone where it's going.**

 **To the guest on chapter 1- I do like her semblance in canon, but I am glad you're giving it a chance here without her having it.**

 **To GoldElite245- I'm happy you're enjoying it too. It's a little similar to snow fox, yeah, but I think you'll find the big differences are gonna be something I delve into that I haven't in my other stories.**

 **To the guest on chapter 1- Thanks. I plan to update every other day, so it's not a long wait.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 2. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 3.**


	3. All About You

**Here's chapter 3, everyone.**

* * *

"Wakey, wakey." Summer said, poking Willow on the forehead, earning a groan from the white haired woman. "Don't get all groany on me, Willow. You said one hour, and this alarm clock doesn't have a snooze button."

"Ugh, you are such a dolt sometimes." Willow rubbed her eyes and sat up, looking over at the window. "Still early enough to get things prepared for her."

Summer chuckled and helped her out of bed. "I can't wait to hear her reaction then." She offered her a cup of coffee. "Want some?"

"I prefer tea… But this will do." Willow smiled and accepted the cup, taking a sip and finding it to be as good as she knew it would be. "A blacksmith and an excellent coffee maker. Tai is a lucky man."

"Praising me won't get you all the points in the world," Summer smirked. "But it will get you enough to make me work on this project that much faster."

Willow was thankful she had Summer as a friend, but not just because she could make a good cup of coffee and amazing weapons. It was the same kind of support Klein showed her. Willow was going to need all the support she could get. "Well I wonder what's the threshold on how many points I can earn with you." Willow chuckled as the two women walked down the stairs.

"Hmm, I'll let you know when you hit it." Summer winked and walked over to the roundtable they had sat at before. "Anyways, what's the plan for today? Besides what I know already of course."

Willow sighed and took a seat at the table, placing her cup of coffee down as she heard Summer pull up a chair of her own to sit down on. "I'd like to bring her out to the garden first. She always loves being outside and the flowers Klein has helped me grow always puts a smile on her face."

Summer couldn't hold back the smile as she thought of Willow bringing her youngest daughter out into the garden. "Fresh air and the scent of flowers. A nice start, no, a great start."

"Thank you." Willow happily took another sip of her coffee. "I know she also enjoys playing knight. I'm sure she's already dragged her sister into playing with her even now."

"Hehe. Trust me. I know what that's like. I was in a video call with Tai the other day and saw Yang playing with Ruby in the background." Summer sighed at the memory.

"Kids will be kids," Willow stated as she closed her eyes for a moment, thinking about what Weiss and Winter would be like when they got older. "I hope they still share that sisterly bond when they're older." Summer could tell she was worried from the tone in her voice and how she looked when she opened her eyes.

"Hey, come on. Don't think they won't." Summer scooted the chair closer to Willow's and threw her arm around the white haired woman. "Nothing can break a bond that's strong. Especially when they have a loving mother to keep them happy."

Willow let out a tiny laugh. "I can't tell if you're trying to earn points with me now."

Summer grinned in response. "Maybe I am, or maybe I'm being honest about how amazing of a mother you are." She said in a softer tone. "Come on. Tell me more about what you wanna do for her birthday."

"I would love to." Willow smiled and continued to tell her friend about her plans.

* * *

"Done!" Weiss exclaimed as she and her older sister finished cleaning up their room. "Now you have to buy me that dress!" She cheered happily.

Winter walked over and poked her on the nose, earning a giggle from her little sister. "I did make a promise that I would, and a Schnee never breaks a promise." She smiled and took a breath. "Happy birthday, Weiss. I love you."

Weiss jumped at her sister, Winter quickly catching her and keeping her balance. "I love you too!"

Her sister's happiness was one of the few things that made Winter truly smile. Her father however was one of the biggest reasons why it was hard for her to smile more often. "A little bit excited there, huh, sis?"

"Uh huh!" Weiss looked up at Winter with a bright smile on her face. "Mama said she wants today to be just as special as when you turned eight."

"I do remember that day. You were only one." Winter chuckled and ruffled Weiss' hair, earning another pout. "But honestly, it isn't about turning eight. You know mother always makes sure that our birthdays are special."

Weiss knew she was right, so she snuggled up on Winter. "Do you think daddy will be able to make it this time?"

Winter felt a pang in her heart, knowing that the year before, Weiss was upset about their dad not making it to her birthday because of, as he put it, business reasons. "I-I'm sure he can this time." She didn't know what else to tell her at that point.

"O-Okay." Weiss wasn't convinced, but she didn't want to whine about it, so she pulled away and smiled up at her sister. "Can we have breakfast? I'm hungry."

Winter knew deep down that Weiss was a little sad about their dad being so distant, so instead of pushing her about it, she simply nodded and put on a smile of her own, taking her little sister's hand. "Of course we can. Let's find Klein."

Weiss had a real smile on at that point, since Klein was always good at cheering her up, since he was more like a father to her than Jacques. "I hope we can have blueberry pancakes this time!"

With a chuckle, Winter walked her sister out of their room. "You know you just have to ask. You are the birthday girl after all." She saw Weiss' grin and knew she was going to be okay, even if their father wasn't there at the time.

* * *

"I'll say this, Weiss is gonna be really happy with how you have this day planned." Summer noted, getting up after hearing Willow's ideas. "So, you wanna do something before heading out?"

Willow shook her head. "I would usually stay a bit longer, but I think that hour of sleep was enough time away from my children. I know how Weiss gets when I'm away from home for long." She got up and took her bag from the table. "So do you think you'll be able to make it later?"

"You know I will." Summer assured, walking over and giving the woman a hug. "And hey, if that ass of a husband of yours causes any trouble, don't be afraid to call me. I'll go over and kick his butt."

The laugh she tried to suppress slipped through and Willow smiled, patting Summer's back a few times. "I'll be sure to, Summer… And thank you." She loved the image of Summer literally kicking Jacques in the butt.

Summer pulled away from the hug, sighing to herself. "Seeing you really does help me feel better too, Willow." She admitted. "You helped me see what I need to do for my own family."

"Stop. You know that I had nothing to do with how you feel about your family. You continue to praise me for being a good mother, but I too will continue to remind you over and over again that you're an amazing mother too." Willow looked at her scroll and noticed the time. "Shoot, I was hoping it was a little bit under thirty passed. I need to get home."

"Go on. I'll catch up with you later, Willow." Summer put her goggles back on and waved her off as the white haired woman quickly left the workshop, waving back to the blacksmith as she left. Said blacksmith smiled and pulled out a picture. "I'll see you all soon. I promise." She put the photo of her, her husband and their two kids they loved very much back in her pocket.

* * *

"Klein, I'll be home in about five minutes. How are the kids doing?" Willow asked over the scroll.

The butler looked over and saw the sisters eating their blueberry pancakes, so he chuckled in joy at the sight. "They're just eating breakfast. How was your little trip to Mrs. Rose?"

"Helpful. Very, very helpful." Willow admitted. "I only wish she'd have just let me know the address instead of giving me such odd directions."

"With Mrs. Rose, I can't say I'm that surprised." Klein kept his voice down. "Did she say if she'll be able to make you know what?"

"One week, two at the most, but with her abilities, I know she'll get it done in under a week." Willow answered, but the butler heard her sigh. "Is Jacques home?"

"I… Don't believe so, Ma'am. I'm sorry." Klein knew Willow didn't care too much if Jacques was home for her, but more so for Weiss. "I'm sure he'll return soon however."

Willow was at a stoplight, so she shook her head disappointingly. "Of course he isn't there…" Klein waited on her to continue. "If you can, make sure Weiss doesn't see me until I'm ready. So have her in her room by the time I get there."

"Understood, Ma'am. In fact," He looked over and saw Weiss was finishing off the last piece of her pancake. "She just finished eating. I'll have her and Miss Winter back upstairs in just a moment."

"Thank you, Klein." Willow drove forward, seeing the manor in the distance. "I'm just about here, so go on and get them ready." She ended the call and Klein put his scroll away.

"Yum! Klein they were so delicious!" Weiss praised the butler's pancakes. "Who were you talking to?"

Klein found it funny how nosy the younger sister was, so he chuckled and walked over, moving hers and Winter's plates to the sink. "It's nothing you need to worry about, Miss Weiss. Come now," He looked to Winter, winking at her to show that it was time. Winter nodded back. "You two need to get back to your room."

"Awwww, but why?" Weiss whined and yelped when her sister coughed to remind her of what whining would get her. "Ugh, fine, but can we watch something? Winter won't let me play knight again because we'll make a mess."

Klein chuckled and took Weiss' hand when she got off of her chair. "I don't think you'll need to spend time on cartoons, Miss Weiss. It is your birthday after all, so promise me you'll be patient and wait in your room."

Weiss groaned, but she nodded in response. "Okay, but why can't we watch cartoons?"

Winter spoke up. "Because I have a much more fun idea on what we can do, little sister. You just need to do what Klein said and be a little patient. Trust me."

The younger Schnee sister didn't want to argue anymore and stayed quiet on the way to their room. As they had walked up the stairs, Willow had parked her car, sighing to herself as she stepped out with the bag in hand. She looked around and noticed her husband's car wasn't around.

" _Klein was right. His car isn't here…"_

Willow clenched her fist in anger, but she calmed herself down since she didn't want to ruin Weiss' day. "I only hope he didn't take Whitley with him."

Their son was only four, but he was still taken on business trips with his father, against his mother's wishes. Jacques however would always counter with bringing up how he allowed her to keep Weiss, so Willow felt powerless in that regard. Even so, she still loved her son and wanted what was best for him in the end.

As she walked to the door, she placed her finger on the scanner, rolling her eyes at how she had to do that each time. "I need to get this stupid thing out of here." As she pushed the door open when the light went green on the scanner, she looked around and saw a few servants stopping to bow, but she held her hand up. "Please, return to work. Jacques isn't here right now."

They knew how Mrs. Schnee felt about them bowing, but they were too afraid of being caught now bowing to her by Jacques. A few of them apologized and went back to working, while Willow walked up the stairs, wanting to go to Weiss first, but her worry kicked in and she made a quick detour to Whitley's room.

" _Please be there."_

When she got to his room, she gently pushed the door open and sighed in relief when she saw her son sleeping in bed. "Oh thank goodness… You can be here for your sister's birthday." She held her hand to her heart and smiled.

She slowly closed the door, turning back as she made her way to Weiss' room. "Winter! Can we please do something while we wait? Pretty please?" Willow could hear her youngest daughter begging to play, so she chuckled quietly.

Willow then heard Winter speak up. "Nope. Just wait a little bit longer, Weiss."

Before Weiss could respond, Willow felt it was time to walk in, so when she did, Weiss gasped and ran over. "Mama!" She hugged Willow's leg and looked up. "You're home!"

Willow leaned her hand down and rubbed Weiss' head. "Yes I am, sweetie. I heard that you were a little bored."

Weiss pouted a bit, wishing her mom didn't hear her whine. "Only because Winter wouldn't let me play knight."

"Well now you don't have to because today is all about you, snowflake." Willow put the bag down and picked her youngest daughter up, making her giggle in response as Klein walked over and picked up the bag for Willow.

"Hehe! Where did you go to, mama?" Weiss asked, still small enough to be held by her mom.

"How about we go outside so you can see?" Willow suggested and Weiss nodded happily, so the white haired woman walked out of the room, with Klein and Winter following behind them.

Once they got outside, Willow set Weiss down and walked her over to the flowers. "Snowflake, these are the flowers that you helped mommy with a few weeks ago. Remember?"

Weiss gasped and looked down at the blue and white colored flowers. "I didn't know they were fully grown, mama! Oh they're so pretty! Winter come look!" She exclaimed to her older sister.

Willow watched as her eldest child walked over, kneeling next to Weiss. "They really are, and they're so pretty because you helped grow them, little sister." Weiss grinned happily and the two sisters went back and forth about the flowers, while Willow sighed happily.

Klein placed the bag next to her after though, placing his hand on her shoulder as he whispered. "Whatever else you got her, I know she'll love it, Ma'am."

It was all she wanted, for Weiss to be happy, so she hoped that Klein was right. "Thank you, Klein." Her eyes didn't leave the sight of her daughters bonding over the flowers. It brought a tear to her eye though, since she thought about Lazuria.

" _I wish you were here for this, but I know why you can't be."_

Willow spent the next few hours with her daughters, even asking Klein to make the birthday girl a few cupcakes when they would spend time watching Weiss' favorite cartoons. Winter didn't find them as entertaining, but she would stay and watch since it meant her sister would get to enjoy spending time with her family.

"Hehe!" Weiss' laughter at a scene from the cartoon the three were watching made Willow so happy, pulling her daughter on her lap. "Mama?" She was a little surprised at being seated on her mom's lap.

"Just thought you'd be a bit comfier here, snowflake." Willow smiled and rubbed her head a few times. "Winter, I wanted to ask, how are your studies?" The mother, while doing her best to give Weiss a happy birthday, didn't want to neglect her other daughter.

"Really well. I've looked into more studies on Atlas' history and the military side of things." Winter answered. "It's interesting to hear what goes on there."

Willow was able to understand where she was coming from since James Ironwood, the current General for the Atlas Military would show up from time to time to speak with Jacques. "Is that so? A possible idea for what you'd like to do in the future?"

"Hmm, maybe. I'll see." Winter said, but before she could say something else, Weiss laughed again when she saw another funny scene in the cartoon.

The white haired mother smiled and kissed the top of her daughter's head, happy that she was able to connect with her daughters so well.

* * *

 **Summer is fun to write, since at this point of writing this, we still don't know how she acts in canon, so this is how I feel she would be. Kinda just having a good time, but trust me, she can and will get serious in future chapters.**

 **To JJ- Writing a happy Schnee family is just how I like it, so I'm glad you're enjoying it too. And yeah, I am loving writing Willow and Summer interactions in this story. It's fun.**

 **To the guest on chapter 2- Yeah I have a lot of chapters written out to keep these posted every other day. And it's not that I'm burnt out on Memories. I just needed to write something that got me back in the writing mood. And this story is it.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 3. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 4.**


	4. The Shining Knight

**Question: How does everyone like the every other day posting schedule for this story? I'd like to know for I MIGHT try to update daily instead, but that's a big might.**

 **Here's chapter 4, everyone.**

* * *

Summer was sighing to herself when she wiped off some sweat from her forehead, glancing over at her scroll. "Hmm." She put her tools down for a moment, but before she reached for the scroll, she looked over at the blueprint design Willow left her. "No, no, I have to get this done first."

The blacksmith grinned and put her goggles on, grabbing the silver colored material she had and started getting to work on it.

" _It'll be better to get this started now. I'll give them a call in a few hours."_

Summer said to herself in mind, but she did wish she had made the decision to go back to Patch much sooner. As she was thinking though, she heard the door to her workshop open, so she looked up and smiled when she saw who it was. "Soooo, what took you so long this time? You missed Willow you know."

"Might be for the best." The woman with dark black hair said as she set her sword down on the table, looking annoyed at something. "The hunt didn't go so well this time."

"You can't have a perfect hunt every time, Raven." Summer said, pulling her goggles up as she walked over to her. "Come on. Don't beat yourself up over this."

"Eh, it's not that." Raven replied, looking at the blade she placed on the table. "It's more of what I saw during my hunt."

Summer was a bit curious, so she pulled up the chair and sat down. "Okay, well you know me. I don't mind hearing a good story."

"Honestly it feels more like a fairy tale come to life." Raven explained, earning a confused look from the blacksmith. "You've heard of the stories where animals can turn into people, right? We talked about it once."

"Hmm, oh yeah! I remember now. What about it?" Summer inquired.

Raven looked up at the ceiling, contemplating whether she really did see what she saw. "Faunus are people with animal traits. Humans, well, are humans, but that story we read… The animals were born as such. Animals, but they have aura, and can become human. Something no one believed, but what I saw… It may not be a story after all, Summer."

Summer's eyes widened. "Are you telling me you saw an animal become a human?" When Raven nodded, Summer thought for a moment. "Hold on. Maybe it was just their semblance. You know, a person becoming an animal. They just turned back is all."

"I don't think it's as simple as that. No one in recorded history has a semblance like that, and not only that, but the woman I saw… didn't exactly have anything on when she changed." Raven had a bit of a blush on.

"O-Oh… Uh, well hey, we can't be certain it has anything to do with that story. I mean, did you even try to approach this woman?" Summer asked.

Raven shook her head. "Noises scared her off. Not my own, but something else. I couldn't tell what it was, but when I tried to give chase, the moment I had lost sight of her, she was gone."

Summer frowned in response. "It sounds like she was afraid of something, or someone."

"Maybe, but what really made me think about that story was the size of her when she was a wolf. She wasn't just a plain old adult wolf, Summer. She was massive." Raven stated.

"Like… A house?" When Raven nodded, Summer whistled in amazement. "Wow, okay, maybe those stories were telling the truth."

"Could be, but it's honestly distracted me a lot more than it should." Raven sighed and watched as Summer ran over, so she raised an eyebrow.

After a few minutes, the blacksmith ran back with a cup of coffee. "I made one for Willow, so I can't not make you one too. Wouldn't be fair, y'know." She chuckled and placed the hot cup on the table, earning a bit of a smile from Raven.

"Thanks. But… Uh, look, Qrow was with me during the hunt and mentioned something about Yang… Um, how is she?" Raven looked at her cup, avoiding looking at Summer when she asked.

Summer knew the divorce between Raven and Tai put a wedge in their family, so she sat back down and rubbed her back. "Hey, don't worry. Yang is doing just fine. She still asks for you too by the way."

Raven lifted her head up, surprised by that. "S-She does? But-."

"The fight was shitty. I can't lie, but even still, she cares about you. I know you visit… Not as much as I feel you should," Summer sighed. "Sorry for being honest there… But I really do think that you should see her again real soon."

Raven looked down at her coffee, and then at her blade, closing her eyes to take a breath. "Maybe…"

"I won't force you to, Raven. But I will at least suggest a call. That much you owe her." Summer said in a more serious tone. "I've watched her grow, Raven. She does take after you in some regard." The blacksmith stood up and walked over to her desk. "I need to work on this weapon for Willow, but you're welcome to stay as long as you want."

"Yeah… Wait, a weapon for Willow? What for?" Raven questioned.

"You remember Weiss? Her youngest daughter." Summer looked over to see Raven nod. "Well she's shown interest in what we do, so Willow asked me to make her a weapon she can use in the future."

Raven was surprised by that, since the one time she saw Weiss was when she was only three. "I never thought Willow would even consider letting her kids use weapons when they're older."

"Willow is overly loving, yes, but she wants her kids to be happy, Raven." Summer said, beginning work on the material. "And if that means hearing what THEY want to do with their lives, then she's an even better mom for that."

While hearing the sounds of tools being used, Raven sighed to herself and took a sip of her coffee, thinking about what Summer said. As she looked down at her reflection in the coffee, she could picture what Yang would look like when she was older.

" _What can I do at this point? She asks for me, but what if she just wants to tell me how mad she is?"_

Raven shook her head and stood up, grabbing her sword as she sheathed it. "I'm going upstairs." She said to Summer, not even waiting on a response as she walked up the wooden staircase.

Summer lifted her goggles up for just a few minutes, sighing to herself when she saw Raven go into her room. "Damn it, Raven… I'll need to talk to Qrow about getting through that thick skull of yours." She put her goggles back on and went back to work.

* * *

A black limo parked up next to Willow's car, and the driver quickly got out, walking over to the back door as he opened it, bowing. Jacques stepped out and waited, watching as the driver closed the door behind him.

Jacques looked over to see Willow's car was parked and rolled his eyes, feeling she had no use of a car in the first place, but her argument to own one was too much for him to care to fight back. The CEO brushed it off and walked to the front door, pressing his finger on the scanner and walking in once the light flashed green

As he walked in, the servants present near the front door wasted no time and bowed to him, hoping he wouldn't stop to berate them on how they bowed. The CEO paid them no mind and walked up the stairs, one thought in mind as he looked down the hall when he made it to the second floor. What he saw made him groan in annoyance. It was the room Winter and Weiss shared, its door opened slightly as he could hear Weiss laughing happily.

Jacques knew what he promised, but to him she wasn't at the top of his priority list, so he turned around and made his way to Whitley's room. Once he walked inside, he saw his son sleeping in his bed.

" _Sleeping through the day. I can only blame Willow for babying you so damn much."_

"Whitley!" Jacques raised his voice and the four year old grumbled in his sleep before opening his eyes, looking over at his father who had his arms behind his back. Sadly the boy wasn't allowed to respond as Jacques cut him off. "If you are going to be my heir, then you are not to laze about sleeping all day. Get changed. You are to come with me so we can discuss the next business trip I'll take you on."

The boy nodded, not wanting to make his dad mad, so he started changing. Jacques walked out of his room and waited, but he glared down the hallway, taking note of the opened door again.

" _Ugh, may as well get this over with to shut that woman up."_

He knew his son would take time to change, so he walked down the hall until he reached Winter and Weiss' room. "Mama, can we play knight? Pretty please." Jacques heard Weiss plead, rolling his eyes as the next voice was his wife.

"Of course we can, snowflake." Jacques growled at how his wife just says yes so easily, so he walked in, glaring at his wife as Weiss gasped when she saw him walking in.

"Daddy!" Weiss jumped off of her mom's lap and was about to run over, but she stopped halfway since she remembered her 'dad' didn't like her running around the house. "O-Oh, I'm sorry for running… But you're here, daddy." She did her best to smile up at the man she believed was her father.

Willow saw the glare he gave her and gave an equally annoyed glare back, but motioned her eyes down at Weiss to tell him to stop being an ass, so the CEO rolled his eyes and put on a fake smile. "Yes, I am. I still have much more business to attend to today, mostly with Whitley."

Hearing that made Willow's heart drop. "What? No, he's still asleep and I was planning to have him join us for dinner."

"One, he is not asleep. I woke him. Two, I specifically told you that our son is to learn the family business that gives this family a home and food on the table." Jacques fired back, making Weiss frown.

Winter decided not to stay quiet. "Father, you don't need Whitley all day. He can at least have dinner with us. Please."

Willow was thankful her eldest daughter was also trying to help, and Jacques crossed his arms. "And why should I jeopardize my son's future on a simple din-."

"Please, daddy… I wanna see Whitley." Weiss softly spoke, holding her 'dad's' leg with one hand, looking up at him with saddened eyes. "P-Please."

Jacques sighed in annoyance. "Fine, but this is the only time I will allow this." He pulled away from Weiss, making her tense up a bit since he made her get off. Once he turned around, he spoke again. "I only came here to say this once. Happy birthday." With that he walked off, hoping that after that, Willow would leave him alone.

Weiss stood there, looking at the doorway where Jacques had walked through, looking like she was about to cry, but she didn't because her mom knelt down next to her and wrapped her arms around her. "Don't worry, snowflake. I'll make sure your brother gets to spend time with you today. It's your special day after all, and what you want, I'll always make happen."

Winter walked over and knelt down as well, but in front of her sister, moving her hand to the top of her head and gently patting it a few times. "You know mom always tells the truth, little sister." That finally got Weiss to smile, so Winter smiled back, ruffling her hair. "There's the smile."

Willow picked Weiss up, making her yelp cutely, but something Winter had said got to her.

" _I haven't told the truth always, Winter… I wish I could, but I can't._

Her thoughts were only there for a moment, since Willow's dedication to her children was stronger. "How about we start playing knight, snowflake? What do you say?"

Weiss turned in her mom's arms and hugged her neck, nodding happily. "Yeah!"

* * *

Whitley was changed in his dress shoes and buttoned, collared shirt as he walked next to his father. "F-Father, where is mommy at?" He asked since she was usually the one who woke him.

"Nowhere important, son. Now don't ask any more questions. I'll be assigning you a tutor come your fifth birthday to get an early start on your studies." Jacques explained, hearing his son sigh, so he stopped in his tracks. "Is there a problem with that?"

"N-No, father." Whitley didn't frown since his father was looking directly at him, so he kept his posture up and heard his father hum in response, so he followed him again when he started walking again.

As they walked down the hall, Whitley noticed his sisters' door was open and heard Weiss yelling happily as Willow and Winter were making monster noises. He had stopped for just a moment, his father not noticing as he slowly walked over, peeking in and seeing Weiss swing her toy sword at both Willow and Winter, who both pretended to fall in pain to show she won.

He let out a happy gasp and was about to walk in, but felt his father grab his arm. "Huh?"

Jacques looked down at him in anger. "Do not walk off from me." He dragged him away from the room and kept his grip on his arm, though not enough to hurt him. "What they're doing in there is a waste of time and I don't want you falling in line with their antics. Do I make myself clear?"

Whitley almost didn't answer, well more as he felt he couldn't answer since seeing his family playing around and having fun made him feel happier than he's been on any business trip. Still, he knew staying quiet wasn't an option. "Y-Yes, father."

"Good." Jacques said nothing else, keeping his grip on his son's arm as he walked him to his office.

* * *

As Weiss was gently swinging her toy sword at her mom and sister, she giggled happily and sat down, satisfied at her little game of knight. "Hehe! I beat you and Winter, mama."

Willow rolled onto her back and sat up, nodding at her daughter. "Yes you did, snowflake, or should I say shining knight?" Weiss blushed when she said that, not knowing her mom heard her call herself that. "Don't be embarrassed, sweetie. I think it's a wonderful title."

Weiss was still blushing lightly, but she had a smile on her face, but pouted when Winter was smirking at her in a teasing manner. "Wiiinnnter! Stop making those faces at me! Mama says it's a great title."

"And I did say mom always tells the truth." Those words stung Willow again. "So yes, it is a great title, but don't think I won't tease you to no end on your performance in front of the mirror when you announced yourself as the shining knight for the first time." Her smirk stayed and she saw Weiss grumbling. "Don't be so pouty. One day you could actually have a whole crowd watching you slay monsters as the shining knight you want to be."

Hearing that made Weiss' pout fade, as her face looked more shocked. "R-Really? People would watch me fight as the shining knight?"

"I don't see why not, little sister." Winter knew how much Weiss wanted to become a huntress, so she always encouraged her to keep chasing her dream.

Weiss had a huge grin on her face and grabbed her toy sword, holding it up high. "Yeah! I'll do it, Winter! I'll grow up and be the shining knight!"

Winter walked over, hugging her as she was happy and proud of her little sister, while Willow took her scroll out, wanting to save this moment forever. She snapped a picture of the sisters and wiped away a tear, feeling like she was truly honoring the promise she made to Lazuria.

* * *

 **And this continues the change in the history of characters. Fanfiction is fun for that reason of course. Raven is still avoiding her family, though not as heavily as canon. And Summer just wants her to connect with them again.**

 **As for the Schnee family, well, Jacques is more or less still a jerk. Whitley is a child here, so don't expect what he is like in canon, well, at least not now. And Weiss gets to have a loving mother, a sister who just like in canon cares for her, and a brother she wants to spend time with. So again, expect differences on characters here.**

 **To JJ- Yeah, I love it. And while I do find writing Jacques a chore, he does bring in conflict to the story, which is needed, since this kind of story can't just be easy going in every aspect. And at least in canon she has Winter and Klein. Here, I'm happy to give her much more.**

 **To GoldElite245- Jacques Schnee is a character everyone in the fandom hates, or at least a majority of the fandom. And that's technically a good thing, since a villain is supposed to be hated, so you'll see more on his bs soon enough.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 4. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 5.**


	5. Birthday Dinner

**Here's chapter 5, everyone.**

* * *

"This is a lot of food, mama." Weiss remarked as she hopped up on one of the chairs, smiling at the plates of food made for her birthday. There were multitudes of foods, from turkey, to lasagna, to pasta and to sweets that Weiss enjoyed most.

"Well I had Klein make all of your favorites, snowflake." Willow kissed the top of her head. "And don't worry. I'll make sure he gets a proper vacation for putting so much work into this."

Weiss watched as her sister sat to the left of her, but someone was missing. "I-Is Whitley going to be here, mama?"

"Yes." Willow didn't want to hesitate, looking over at Klein and motioned for him to come over. "Klein, you are just as much apart of this as any of us, so please, take a seat anywhere you'd like and prepare to eat."

The butler was a bit hesitant at first, since he didn't want to get in between family, but when he saw Weiss smiling at him, he couldn't say no. "Of course, Ma'am." He walked over and sat opposite of Weiss. "Did you have a good day, Miss Weiss?"

"It was so fun! I beat mama and Winter in knight!" Weiss cheered. "And I made a promise that I'm gonna grow up and become the shining knight so that people can watch me be a hero! Then people won't be afraid of the monsters."

Klein chuckled. "I'll have to be one of the first to see you rise up as this shining knight then, snowflake." He caught himself and held his hand to his mouth, but lowered it after a moment. "M-My apologies, Miss Weiss, I-."

"You called me snowflake!" Weiss beamed happily and tugged her mom's arm. "He finally stopped calling me Miss Weiss, mama."

Klein was taken aback, as Willow nodded to her daughter. She looked over at the butler and smiled at him. "Yes, he did."

The butler said nothing, but instead smiled back and folded his hands, deciding it was best to let Weiss enjoy being called something other than Miss Weiss by him.

"I'll be right back, sweetie. I'm going to go and get your brother." Willow kissed Weiss on the head again and walked out, her white dress flowing as she was preparing herself for an argument with her husband.

" _I've dealt with this a number of times. I can handle this too."_

The white haired woman said to herself, walking out of the dining room as she turned to walk up the stairs. As she walked, she knew exactly where to find her son and husband. "One day. You couldn't leave him be for this one day."

Once she got to his office, she took a deep breath and opened the door. "And that is why you make sure to say what they want to hear, and not worry about what they will get for…" Jacques stopped as he saw his wife walking in. "What is it now? I'm busy if you couldn't-."

"It's time for dinner." Willow crossed her arms as she glared at her husband.

Jacques sighed and lifted his hand up, which made Whitley stand. It made Willow sick to her stomach to see that and she walked over, taking her son's hand gently in her own. "Dinner. That is all the time he shall be down there for. And if he stays any longer-."

"I know." Willow wanted to shout, but she held back since her son was right there. "Come on, honey. Your sisters have been wanting to see you." She smiled down at her son, walking him out of Jacques' office.

The CEO waited about two minutes and slammed his hands against his desk.

* * *

Whitley, while in front of his father wouldn't show it, was actually excited to go to dinner. "Mommy, is Weiss and Winter eating already?" His voice was still quiet, since his father intimidated him to that point.

Willow shook her head. "They wanted you to be there first, honey. So once you see them, make sure to give Weiss a hug and wish her a happy birthday."

Her son gasped. "I-It's Weiss' birthday, mommy?"

"Indeed it is, honey." Willow walked him down the stairs, looking over at the dining room. "And she really, really wanted you to be there for dinner, so make sure to be happy for her, and for you, my handsome little boy."

For awhile, Whitley felt like he had to do everything his father told him to do, but with Willow, she tried her best to keep Jacques' influence from torturing their son. "Mommy… I wanna see them." Still, he continued to speak softly.

Willow nodded, walking him inside of the dining room. "Look who I brought, girls."

Weiss and Winter turned in their chairs, both smiling happily as they saw their mother walk their little brother in. "Whitley!" Weiss exclaimed and got out of her chair, running over to her little brother as she took his other hand. "Klein made us so much food. You have to eat with us… Um, you'll eat with us, right?"

Whitley looked up to his mother for an answer, and she nodded to him, so he gasped happily and looked back at Weiss. "Y-Yes." Weiss hugged him and Willow let go of his hand, the boy feeling much happier than he was with his father. "H-Happy birthday."

"Thank you!" Weiss hugged her brother tighter and after pulling away, she took his hand and brought him over to the table.

Willow followed close behind, but after Weiss got up on her chair, she noticed Whitley hesitated. "What's wrong, honey?"

"C-Can you sit in the middle…" Whitley requested, and Willow was surprised, but she simply nodded.

"Of course, honey." Before she sat down though, she helped him up onto the chair to her right. "Up you go." Once she got him on, she pulled the chair to Weiss' right out and sat down. "Klein, I just want to say thank you again for this."

"No need, Ma'am. Now dig in, you four." Klein's eyes changed to red. "Make sure you get every last bite. Didn't spend those hours for nothing after all." He smirked.

Weiss giggled at how his expression would change when his eyes did, so she reached over for a fork and watched as her mom got her a plate. "I'll put your favorites on here, snowflake." Willow reached over to the large dishes of food Klein prepared and began serving.

* * *

Klein wiped his mouth with a napkin and looked over the table, seeing Weiss talking with her little brother as she looked passed her mom. "Whitley, you should play knight with us next time! Winter and mama can be the monster, and we can be the knights that protect the people from them."

Whitley blinked a few times, but he remembered what he saw. His family, namely Weiss, Winter and Willow all playing around. "K-Knight?" He barely understood the concept, but if it was fun, he would love to join in.

"Yeah! It's really fun and maybe mama can get you a toy sword too." Weiss sounded a lot more excited at the thought of her brother joining in on their game. She quickly picked up a piece of turkey with her fork and ate it, smiling at the taste.

Whitley looked to his mom, hoping Weiss was right. "I can have a toy sword? What's a sword, mommy?"

Willow chuckled and leaned over, kissing the top of his head. "You can have one, yes, and it's what the knight uses to protect the people. So once you have one, just like your sister said, you'll be a strong knight that can protect people."

"B-But father says I have to be a businessman." Whitley knew that word more than anything.

In the back of her head, Willow wanted to march up to Jacques and smack him for flooding their son with such thoughts. "You can be whatever YOU want to be, honey."

Winter was paying close attention since she was the oldest of the three Schnee siblings, so she understood a lot more about life than her younger brother or sister did. Even about how her father wasn't going to win any father of the year awards any time soon.

While Willow, Weiss and Whitley were conversating though, Klein got Winter's attention. "Miss Winter, would you like more pasta? I can see you enjoy that more than the other dishes here."

"O-Oh, I didn't realize. Um, no it's okay. I'm starting to feel full, but… Um, I think I need to go to the bathroom." Winter got out of her chair and quickly left the dining room, making Willow sigh a bit as she looked to Klein.

"Don't worry, Ma'am. I'll go talk to her." Klein cleaned up his plate and made sure to put it in the sink on the way to Winter. "Now where did you go?" He stopped in his tracks when he looked over and saw Winter sitting at the staircase. "Miss Winter."

Winter raised her head up, sighing that the butler followed her. "H-Hello, Klein. Um, why did you leave the table?"

"Your mother noticed how fast you ran off." Klein said as he walked over. "Is something troubling you, Miss Winter?"

"I, well, yeah." Winter knew she shouldn't hide anything, but she still brought her knees up to her chin and rested on them. "It's about father."

"Ah, yes… Him." Klein sat next to the eldest Schnee sibling on the staircase. "Is this about Master Whitley, or snow… Miss Weiss?"

Winter chuckled. "She already liked that you called her snowflake, Klein. Get used to it." She heard him sigh in defeat, making her chuckle again, but then her face got serious again. "It's about both of them honestly. I know how father really is. I know he barely pays attention to Weiss and I… And pays way more attention to Whitley that it's pulling him away from us." She frowned. "I don't want our family to be split apart."

Klein was always there for emotional support, mostly for Willow, especially after she birthed Winter, but now that Winter was older, he knew he needed to be there for her as well. So the butler placed his hand on her shoulder. "I can understand why you're very concerned." His eyes turned red. "Your father is a bit of a, as you call it, a huge jerk." Winter chuckled a bit as his eyes light blue for a few moments, prompting him to sneeze. After getting a few more giggles from the elder Schnee sibling, his eyes turned back to its normal light brown.

Winter calmed down from the giggling and nodded a little. "Yeah, he really is."

"I can't see the future, Miss Winter. What I can do however is see potential, in all three of you." Klein smiled. "You, Weiss and Whitley all show me something that your father should be proud of. Whether that be as a Specialist, a Huntress, or a Businessman." He listed off all of their future desires, or at least what they all expect to be because he paid more attention than anyone, well, except for Willow herself.

"You really think I can make it as a Specialist?" When Klein nodded, Winter was feeling a lot better, but she still felt concerned. "You mentioned businessman… I don't know if Whitley really wants to be-."

"What he wants to be is none of your concern," Both Klein and Winter tensed up hearing Jacques voice as the butler quickly got up and on the ground level, bowing to his boss since he didn't want to risk losing his job, though not for him, but the loss of being there for the Schnee family.

"F-Father, I didn't hear you coming down." Winter said, getting off of the stairs as she walked down and got on the ground level too. "What are you doing down here?"

Jacques looked over at the dining room. "Your mother decided that she thinks what's best for Whitley is to pull him away from my teaching," He walked passed his eldest child and she tensed up. "And as such, I'm here to prove her otherwise. It's been quite enough time to eat after all."

"Wait, what are you going to do?" Winter asked as she ran over to catch up with him.

Jacques raised an eyebrow. "Take my son back upstairs to not waste any more precious time of course. Now enough questions, Winter." He pulled ahead of her and stepped into the dining hall, shocked by all of the food there. "Dinner, huh? This is what you call dinner, Willow?" He raised his voice, alarming Willow and their kids who had turned to see him standing not that far behind them.

"What?" Willow got out of her chair. "What are you talking about? Of course this is dinner. It's Weiss' birthday dinner, or did you forget… Again." She glared.

Jacques clenched his fist in frustration. "Oh, and wasting all of this food, which if I should remind you is being paid for with MY money, is such a wonderful idea for a birthday. Is that what you're saying this time, Willow, or is it the same excuse of showering and spoiling our children so damn much!" Weiss gasped at that, while Whitley turned away, shaking a little.

Winter however looked angry as she stood behind her father, but she knew getting involved would make things worse, so Willow spoke instead. "How dare you raise your voice in front of them." She chose not to raise hers, as fighting fire with fire in front of their kids was the last thing she wanted to do, but she did take a few steps forward. "These are your children, and for once they get to all be in the same room, happy. Are you so against that? Well, Jacques?" She clenched her teeth.

Jacques didn't back away and glared at her. "Whitley. Up. Now." His son was still shaking a bit, but he got up, though stopped when he heard his mother.

"No! Sit down, honey. You don't need to listen to your father." Willow didn't bother turning around, keeping her glare on her husband as he took a deep breath.

"I'm going to give you till the count of three to stop this foolish behavior, Willow. Do I make-." Jacques was cut off when she stepped forward and challenged him to do something. "So… This is how you choose to respond?"

Willow leaned in to whisper so the kids wouldn't hear. "I'll be damned if you ruin any of their birthdays… I don't give a fuck how you feel about them individually. They are MY children… Hurt them, and I swear you will regret the day, Jacques."

Her voice, her anger, it was the moment that Jacques realized that his intimidation was wearing off, so he took a step back and fixed up his tie. He didn't say a word and turned around, walking passed Winter.

There was a discomforting silence in the dining room as Klein walked in moments after. Willow closed her eyes, biting her lip and cursing under her breath. "Whitley, honey… I'm sorry for raising my voice."

The four year old said nothing, and Weiss was equally quiet. It hurt Willow, it made her heart drop and she started to breathe heavily, but not before Winter ran over and took her hand. "Mom, mom, calm down." She gently spoke, not wanting Weiss or Whitley to hear their mother was starting to hyperventilate. "Please, mom."

Willow wiped a bead of sweat from her head with her other hand, slowly nodding to her eldest child. "Okay… Okay." She put on a smile and turned to face Weiss and Whitley. "Why don't we go on and head outside for some fresh air?"

It was one of the many things that Weiss enjoyed, but one of the few things she loved. The feeling of the fresh air. "O-Okay, mama." She turned to her brother, who was still slightly shook from how Jacques had yelled. "C-Come on, Whitley. Mama's taking us outside."

The four year old sniffled and nodded, getting help out of his chair from his sister. Once his feet were on the ground, he felt Weiss grasp his hand and lead him to their mother. Still though, he didn't speak. Didn't even make a sound.

Willow hated Jacques for what he did. She hated what kind of effect he had on their children, or as she put it, her children. "Klein, if you can, there is a bag-."

Before she could continue, Klein had already walked over and grabbed the bag from under the table, earning a sigh from the mother. He gave her a nod, but the look on his face was apologetic, silently wishing he could've said something to stop Jacques.

As the small family made their way outside, Willow would see Winter trying to talk with Weiss and Whitley. For Weiss, she would tell her older sister she was okay, but for their brother, he remained silent.

Once they were outside though, it felt different, better, almost as if what happened inside was just a nightmare instead. The wind blew passed them and Weiss loved it. It made her actually smile instead of her having the fake smile she put on for her brother.

Whitley himself could feel the tension ease away, as the feeling of the breeze was somewhat soothing. "Let's sit by the garden, kids." Willow suggested as she took Weiss' other hand, while Winter took Whitley's.

Klein sighed as he watched them go, feeling that they needed their privacy for that moment. Willow would have objected against him staying behind, but she needed to comfort her children more than anything.

The smell of the flowers brought a relaxing aura of comfort for the three kids, so Willow helped them sit on the grass and held Whitley on her lap. "I know… That what you three saw was a bit scary… But I promise that everything will be okay. Your father and I just had a bit of a disagreement is all."

Weiss looked down at the grass, taking a handful of it for a moment before the wind carried it off. "Is… Is daddy mad about the dinner, mama?"

Willow sighed, wishing there was a way around that question. "He's just very busy and sometimes he says things that he shouldn't, snowflake. For now, don't think about that."

Winter slid the bag over, the one Klein handed her on their way outside. "W-What's this?" Weiss asked as she looked at the bag. Whitley too was a bit curious as Willow let out a small smile and reached into the bag, showing that it was a wrapped box with the words, 'To Weiss', written on it.

"This, snowflake, is your birthday present." Willow handed her the wrapped box and felt hopeful that Weiss would be a lot happier after what had happened in the dining room.

Weiss looked at it for a few moments, not in disbelief since she always got a present every year for her birthday. Just staring at it made her feel a warmth, one that she didn't think she'd feel because of her 'dad' almost ruining her birthday dinner.

Winter reached over and rubbed her shoulder. "Well? Go on and open it, little sister."

Whitley let out a small smile of his own, making Weiss gasp in joy since that was the last thing she wanted to see from today. Her family, all happy. Still, deep down she only wished that her 'dad' would be the same, but she shook her head and ignored that for a moment.

The birthday girl unwrapped the present, not worried about tearing up the paper as her eyes widened when she saw what was wrapped up.

"Happy birthday, snowflake." Willow brushed her daughter's back, smiling down at her as she saw Weiss look at the box in amazement.

* * *

 **Jacques Schnee is still a chore to write, but it is needed for him to be like this for the story. Anyways, you can see here that even Willow is getting fed up with his bs, so we'll see what happens later on from that.**

 **To JJ- That's the great thing about Fanfiction. I can write the characters' lives in such a different way, so to have a chance to write Raven differently has been fun. Jacques… Well, I keep him the way he is for a reason. And the wolf stuff is gonna be talked about a lot more in later chapters. So the sizes she can be will be explored.**

 **To the guest on chapter 4- Thank you for the feedback on that. I think I will stick to every other day as planned, since that is a good point on the quality over quantity reason.**

 **To GoldElite245- Raven being… Well, Raven is fun at times, but I like to give her more of a character here. So I'm glad you liked that. And yes, Jacques is still… That.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 5. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 6.**


	6. Ferocious And Elegant

**Here's chapter 6, everyone.**

* * *

"So, how is she handling Myrtenaster, Willow?" Summer asked over the scroll as Willow was watching her daughter training with her weapon. "I had that baby work out well with its change to the sharp edge form too. Come on, admit it."

Willow chuckled and one of the training dummies was knocked down by a powerful swing that Weiss gave it. "Well enough for me to allow her to fight the way she does." She sighed happily. "Thank you again for making it years ago."

"Hey, you thanked me enough. I'm just happy that I got to see the video you took of her when you gave her the weapon. I showed it to Ruby and she was super jealous." Summer giggled.

"Well that'll make it all the more better when she gets her own weapon after all." Willow replied, hearing Summer's blowtorch going off in the back. "Are you working right now?"

"Duh." Summer responded, not saying much else.

"Don't overwork yourself, you dolt." Willow let out a small smile and thought about Myrtenaster for a moment. "About her weapon, I… Wanted to know. Was it difficult making the second blade for it?"

"Huh? Uh, no? Willow, lots of hunters out there have weapons that can transform. Adding a second type of blade on that baby was no challenge at all." Summer explained.

Willow took a moment to look over at her daughter, who at the moment was using the sharp edge blade instead of the rapier form. "Well I'm glad it wasn't much trouble. Having her use a rapier like this would have proved to be a bit… difficult."

"Again, duh. Rapiers aren't meant to be swung around, Willow." Summer stopped using her blowtorch for a moment when she heard a knock on her door. "Ugh, I bet that's Tai. Gotta go, Willow. I'll talk to ya later."

Willow chuckled at her whining and nodded. "Of course. Speak with you later, Summer." With that she ended the call and put her scroll in her purse as she stood up from her chair. "Weiss, sweetie, I think that's enough training for today." She called out to her daughter.

Weiss lifted her head up and she ran over as she got right in front of her mom. She let go of Myrtenaster from her teeth and smiled up at her mom as her tail swayed back and forth. "I think I'm starting to get used to fighting this way, mom."

Her wolf form. Willow did her best to not freak out when she first learned she was able to do it a few years ago, but to keep her from knowing the truth, she passed it on as her semblance finally being unlocked. Weiss believed it, but she did question why she didn't have glyphs, since it was the Schnee family semblance.

Luckily for Willow, she had enough knowledge of aura and semblance to tell her that a person's semblance can vary based on their own personality. She used that as praise for Weiss, telling her she was special enough to break free of the hereditary semblance their family had to manifest her own unique semblance.

"You are, sweetie. I'm proud of you." Willow smiled gathering up her clothes and Myrtenaster, getting Weiss back inside as she made sure not to get in anyone's way. After getting in Weiss' room, Willow dropped her daughter's clothes on the bed and walked to the door. "Let me know when you're finished changing, snowflake."

The white wolf, who at the age of fifteen was already big enough to be considered a normal sized adult wolf nodded. "Okay, mom." She had on a bit of a blush, since her 'semblance' didn't work well with clothes.

Willow closed the door behind her and sighed a bit, looking down the hall as she saw Whitley walking to his room, but his arms were behind his back as he was wearing his short sleeved white dress shirt. "Honey, are you-?" Before she could finish, he walked passed her.

As Willow turned to watch him walk, he stopped and sighed as he turned around. "What is it, mother? I'm a little busy right now."

Every time he spoke that way, it hurt Willow's heart, so she moved her bangs out from her face and looked to the side. "Well I was just going to ask how your studies are going."

"Fine. They're going fine. Is that all, mother?" Whitley asked, keeping his arms behind his back as he spoke, seeing his mother move a bit to hold one of her arms with her hand. "Is there… Something wrong?" While he had changed a lot in the years that had gone by, he still had that part of him that showed concern for his family.

"It's nothing, honey… I'm sorry if I was getting in the way of your studies." Willow looked down, having lost a bit of that spark she had years ago.

Whitley said nothing as he turned, walking back to his room, but his mother didn't see him frowning when he turned around. Willow herself bit her lip and lifted her head up, watching as her son walked into his room.

She wanted to cry, but she couldn't. Through the years, Jacques had slowly broken her spirit, but not completely. Willow let go of her arm and composed herself as she heard Weiss opening her door. "I'm ready, mom."

Willow looked at her outfit, what she called her huntress outfit. It was what she wanted to go to Beacon with, even though she wondered why Weiss didn't want to go to Atlas at first. "Good, because your sister is here today." She knew Weiss would love hearing that.

A small gasp escaped her lips and Weiss looked giddy with excitement. "She is? Oh that's wonderful! I wanted to congratulate her in person for becoming a Specialist."

Willow nodded in agreement, only learning of Winter's promotion days ago on a scroll call. "I as well, snowflake. Come now." She offered her hand to Weiss. "She messaged me saying her airship landed twenty minutes ago, so I'm sure she'll be here any minute now."

With Myrtenaster on her hip, Weiss happily took her mom's hand and the two walked down the hall together, though not before Weiss glanced over her shoulder at her little brother's room, frowning a bit since she knew he wasn't going to leave his room to see Winter. She turned back and once they got to the staircase, she saw Klein and her frown went away, replaced with a smile. "Good morning, Klein."

Klein had a tray with two cups of tea and two muffins, surprised that Weiss and Willow were walking down the stairs. "Oh, snowflake, Ma'am. I didn't know you two would be venturing down to the lower floor." He turned to meet them back on the first floor. "I noticed you both were heading upstairs earlier and thought you'd be up for longer."

Willow shook her head and was grateful that the long time butler was going to bring Weiss something to eat and drink after her training. "Winter is coming over today, so we'll be waiting outside for her. You're welcome to join us of course."

"Ah, yes, Miss Winter's promotion. I was wondering when she would return home with the news in person." Klein was walking next to the mother and daughter, keeping the tray in his hands as they got to the first floor and walked outside.

The fresh air made Weiss sigh happily as she wore her wolf head necklace, playing with it a bit with her right hand. "I can't wait to see her. It's been a few months…"

Willow could tell from the way she trailed off that Weiss was saddened at how long Winter would be away for, so when she and her daughter sat down by the white table outside in the courtyard, she placed her hand over Weiss'. "I know you miss her, snowflake. She misses you too, but remember, we should be supportive of her. This is what she's wanted to do, and I know when you go on to Beacon… I'll… I'll miss you so very much too." She let out a smile still. "But I'll still support you one hundred percent of the way, my little snowflake."

Weiss teared up a bit and let out a smile of her own, leaning over to hug her mom as Klein gently laid the tray down on the table. "Thank you, mom… I love you."

"And I love you too, snowflake, or should I start getting used to calling you the shining knight?" Willow grinned, feeling her daughter tense up at her words, as she knew Weiss must have been blushing from that.

"M-Mother!" Weiss pulled away and looked to the side, clearly embarrassed by the old title she once wanted to be known as. "You know that was just when I was a child…"

"I seem to recall you mentioning it a few weeks ago when you were brushing your hair." Willow continued to tease, chuckling at how Weiss held her head in her hands. "Oh come on, sweetie. There's nothing wrong with it. There are a lot of huntresses out there with titles they go by."

Weiss was still blushing, but she lifted her head up, moving her hands away. "I-I guess, but it's still so embarrassing. I came up with that when I was a child."

Willow reached over, grabbing the cup of tea and moving it towards her daughter. "Honestly, that feels like it makes it better, snowflake. How many huntresses and huntsman can say they stuck with a name for that many years before becoming one?"

Weiss fiddled with her thumbs as she looked at her tea, letting out a small smile. "I suppose that would be something to… be proud of. I just hope no one makes fun of me for it." She lifted the cup up and sipped some of her tea.

"There will be too many people praising you for your abilities and how you'll be helping people to worry about such meaningless comments, sweetie." Willow stated as she reached over for her own cup of tea.

"Hmm." Weiss responded and gently grabbed the muffin, taking a small bite and smiling at the taste, but after she swallowed it, she heard a sound that made her turn immediately.

Willow looked over as well, knowing all too well what that sound was. "Looks like she's here." She got her scroll out. "I'll let her know we're in the courtyard, snowflake. Klein, if it isn't a bother, can you pull up two more chairs please."

"Of course, Ma'am." The butler walked over to some of the other chairs and pulled them over as Willow sent her eldest daughter a message to meet them over in the courtyard.

Weiss said nothing, looking over at the gate with joy in her heart. Willow loved that look, folding her hands on the table as she too began to look towards the gate. After about three minutes, the person they wanted to see walked through when the gates automatically opened.

There she was, in her Specialist attire, Winter Schnee. She was one of the youngest Specialists to be given that status, but to her family, she was just Winter and both her mother and little sister wanted nothing more than to jump out of their chairs and run over to her, but they held it in when they saw her look towards them.

Winter sighed happily, slightly because she wanted a break from her duties, but mostly because she was finally able to see her family again. She walked towards them, her arms behind her back, though not in the same manner Whitley or Jacques would walk. She walked in a respectful manner. "Mother… Little sister… It's so good to see you both." As she stood in front of them, she looked over at Klein. "And you as well, Klein." The butler nodded and looked happy to see her again.

Weiss slowly got out of her chair and took a step forward, being a few feet away from her older sister. "I-I heard about your promotion." She was a little nervous, ever since Winter joined the Atlas Military, she was a bit more strict about certain things. "I'm really happy for you, Winter."

"It was a bit… Unexpected at first, but thank you, Weiss." The Specialist looked at Myrtenaster. "How have you been?"

"O-Oh, well mom is helping me train a lot more, so I'm getting better and-." Weiss yelped when Winter lightly slapped the top of her head, which while Willow was a bit against that, she knew it was never to hurt Weiss.

"I wasn't asking about that yes, little sister. I was asking how have you been. Are you eating well, have you taken up any hobbies while I've been away, any new friends?"

Weiss rubbed her head and groaned a little. "Uh, well I still talk to Ruby and Yang sometimes."

Willow chuckled a little and stood up, walking over to her eldest daughter to give her a hug. "She's being modest. She talks to them a good bit." The mother whispered to Winter.

Winter nodded and hugged her mother back. "I know how she gets, but thank you for letting me know, mother." She whispered back and looked over Willow's shoulder at her little sister. "Are you going to stand there all day, or will you give your big sister a hug?"

Hearing that got a small gasp from Weiss as she looked up at her big sister, who, after Willow pulled away, offered her a hug, so Weiss smiled and moved in, embracing her big sister. "Welcome home, Winter."

The warmth of the words from her little sister made the Specialist hug her back and close her eyes. "Thank you, Weiss." She stayed like that for a moment before lightly pulling away. "Now then, I can ask this. How HAS your training been?"

Weiss perked up at that and looked to her mother. "Mom, can I show her?" Willow thought about it for a moment and since Jacques was away for the week, she nodded. "Okay, I'll be right back!" She ran over to a bush and hid behind it.

Winter chuckled a bit and walked over to Klein, not forgetting to give him a hug as well. Once she did, she pulled away. "She still prefers to fight as a wolf I see."

Willow thought about Lazuria when she said that. "Not all the time, since the issue with clothes always comes up, but she's wanted to show you how well she's learned how to fight in that form."

"I have no doubt in my mind that she can't, mother." Winter said as she saw the white wolf walk out from the bush, with her clothes on her head.

Willow walked over to her and picked her clothes up for her as she smiled down at her daughter. "I've got these for you, sweetie."

Weiss nodded, not able to speak since she was holding Myrtenaster with her teeth, so she ran over to her older sister, looking up at her as her tail wagged. Winter let out a small smile and watched as Klein set up some of the training dummies, so the Specialist took a seat on one of the chairs and patiently waited to see how well her sister could fight in her wolf form.

After Klein finished putting up the training dummies, Weiss growled a bit and ran at them, full speed as she had Myrtenaster in its sharp edge form, swinging at it as she dashed by it. The wind from the force of her swing wasn't too powerful, but the cut was clean and split the dummy in two in a horizontal slice.

Winter clapped a bit for her sister, impressed by her speed and ability to cut right through the training dummy. "She's doing better than I thought."

Willow nodded as Weiss turned around and jumped up, slashing at the neck of one of the dummies when she got close enough, only to land at an angle of it. She went in for the legs, bringing it down since it cut right through. She treated it like the monsters she would see hunters slay and slammed the blade down on its back, 'finishing' it.

"Ferocious would be the word, but I've seen her fight when she isn't using her wolf form. She has elegance as well. Two very different styles… It's impressive to see her juggle both." Winter remarked.

While she was praising her, Willow was still nervous for her youngest daughter. "Yes… But sometimes she gets a little tired."

"Well it is training, mother. It's only natural to get tired from such activities." Winter noted.

"I know, I know." Willow sighed. "I just hope her wolf form isn't straining her is all." She watched as Weiss continued slashing at the dummies, even pouncing on one to stab at it like she did to the last.

Winter placed her hand on her mother's shoulder. "You know Weiss doesn't stay quiet about a lot of things. She'll tell you if she ever feels strained."

"Y-Yes, you're right." Willow sighed a bit and continued to watch Weiss train.

* * *

 **So with this chapter, it's finally shown that she can in fact become a wolf. Been excited to get to this chapter. Myrtenaster in this was given two blades to work with, since rapiers are technically not to be used as slashing weapons.**

 **To JJ- An obstacle is the best way to describe Jacques, yes. And as for vacations, well, sadly Willow at this point can't get away from him for a certain reason, but when he's out on business trips, she can easily enjoy the time he's gone.**

 **To GoldElite245- Thanks. Glad that I'm writing him well enough to show that, yes, he is to be hated in this story.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 6. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 7.**


	7. Mutt

**Here's chapter 7, everyone.**

* * *

"Wait what?! You got accepted into Beacon?!" Weiss yelled over her scroll, astonished by the news her friend had given her. "You're… You're still fifteen though. How did you-?" Before she could continue, she heard a giggle from her friend.

"Calm down, Weiss. I just got tangled in a hunt that I sort of… Accidentally ended up on. You know how it is." Ruby gave her a nervous chuckle, Weiss seeing through her lie with no issue.

"Uh huh. So you snuck onto a hunt somehow and instead of being punished, you were praised for it." Weiss sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ruby, I don't know where to begin on how dangerous that is."

Weiss heard Ruby groan over the scroll. "Ugh, I know, okay. Mom scolded me about it and dad was… a bit annoyed that I'd even think about doing something so reckless, but when they saw that I was accepted into Beacon because of it, they were really happy… So… Are you happy for me?"

"You dunce." Weiss let out a small smile. "Of course I am. I just don't want you being so reckless, though now it looks like you, Yang and I will be able to go to Beacon together."

"Yeah! It's gonna be awesome! Oh, did I tell you that my uncle Qrow helped me make my new scythe? It's called Crescent Rose." Ruby clearly was excited to talk about her weapon.

Weiss raised an eyebrow. "A new one already? I thought you made one a few months ago."

"I did, but it was just a test model. This one's the real deal. I was gonna tell you about it when I got to Beacon… In two years, buuuuut, since I was pushed up a couple of years, I thought it be best to tell you now. Wanna see a picture of it?!" Ruby exclaimed.

Weiss let out a chuckle in response. "Sure, Ruby." She waited a few moments, and after she heard the new message sound pop up, she swiped the screen and looked at the picture. "Whoa, um, Ruby that looks really heavy."

"Hehe. Trust me, Weiss. I can swing it around so easily. You'll see." Ruby grinned after Weiss swapped back over to the video call. "Oh, I wanted to ask, did you change how you wear your ponytail? It looks different."

The white haired girl smiled a bit at that, nodding as she was proud of the way her hair looked. "I felt it would be a bit different from the usual ponytail look. Does it fit well?"

"Yup!" Ruby gave her a thumbs up, smiling at her friend. "You pull it off really well, Weiss. I sometimes wish I had long hair… But then I think about how obsessed Yang gets about hers."

Weiss playfully rolled her eyes. "She needs to work on that, and those ridiculous jokes."

"You know she won't." Ruby stretched a bit and looked behind her when Yang walked in. "Hey, Yang. Come say hi to Weiss." Weiss watched in the video call as the blonde girl walked over, grinning as she waved to her.

"Sup, Weiss. You ready for Beacon?" Yang asked, she herself clearly pumped to start training at the academy.

"As ready as I'll ever be. What about you? Wait, don't answer that," Weiss grinned back. "I can already see it in your face."

"You know it. And did Ruby tell you yet?" Yang asked, getting a nod from Weiss. "Man, I wanted to knock some sense into her on why she shouldn't stow away on an airship," That earned a groan from Ruby. "But once she told me she's going to Beacon, I couldn't stay mad."

Weiss saw the annoyed look on Ruby's face get replaced with a happier one, so she nodded again. "Yes, we did speak about how everyone she's told has had similar reactions. If anything, this does make it easier for us." She turned around when she heard a glass shattering, so she gasped a little.

"What was that?" Ruby asked, Yang showing a little concern for their friend.

"I-I think Klein may have dropped a glass or something." Weiss knew she was lying to herself, so she had to come up with something. "Um, I'll go make sure he's okay. I'll talk with you both later."

"O-Okay, Weiss. See ya later." Ruby and Yang waved her off, the video call ending then and there as Weiss looked at her door, nervous about the noise she heard.

Weiss brought her hand up, gently holding her wolf pendant as she sighed to herself. She got up from her bed and walked to the door, hesitating to even open it. She shook her head, not wanting to be afraid, so she opened the door and walked out into the hallway, looking down both sides of it as she spotted Whitley's door was open, so she started taking steps towards it.

She gulped as she got closer, and when she reached the doorway, she slowly peeked in and she saw her brother with his head in his hands, broken glass from what looked to be a cup that had been thrown scattered on the floor. "W-Whitley? Are you okay?"

Her brother snapped his attention to her almost instantly, looking like he didn't want her to even say a word to him. "What are you doing here, sister? I don't remember asking Klein to fetch you."

"H-He didn't. I just heard some glass shattering and-." Weiss stopped when she saw Whitley stand up from his bed and fix up his tie.

"Then you have no reason to be here. Go on back to your room and leave me be. I am capable enough to clean up glass you know." Whitley glared, making Weiss frown.

"I didn't say you weren't." Weiss softly replied, grasping her pendant again. "I was just worried."

Whitley rolled his eyes. "Well don't be. I never asked you to be, so like I said before, you can go back to your room and leave me alone."

Weiss' heart hurt from that and she thought about taking a step forward, but she didn't want to upset her brother. Instead she stood at his doorway. "Can I at least know why you threw that cup?"

"None of your business." Whitley stated as he started moving the glass carefully with his hands, trying not to look like he needed a maid in front of his sister, so she gasped and ran over. "W-What did I say about being in my room?!"

Weiss stopped in her tracks when he raised his voice. "Y-You're not supposed to clean glass up with your hands! You'll cut yourself and-."

Whitley stood up and stomped his right foot on the ground to get her to stop speaking, making her gasp as she took a step back. "I don't need a mutt like you telling me what I can and can't do!"

That was it. It was all he needed to say that would break Weiss' heart, and he saw it in her eyes. She took a few more steps back, tears falling from her eyes as she turned around and ran out of his room. Whitley stood there for a few moments, thinking about what he said and how Weiss reacted. His right hand was shaking, so he grabbed it with his left and looked down at the shattered glass.

" _S-She already knew I didn't want her help… She had to know that."_

Whitley bit his lip and kept his head down, saying nothing more as he wished he never said what he said to his sister.

Weiss was crying, harder than she's ever cried before. Once she moved passed her door, she slammed it and jumped on her bed, crying into the sheets. Nothing hurt more than her own family saying such a thing to her.

All she could do was cry, not even think about Beacon, or her friends. Tears were all Weiss knew for about ten minutes before she heard a knock on her door, so she lifted her head up, looking at the doorway. "Leave me alone!"

The person knocking gasped at what she said and tried to open the door, but found it was locked. "Weiss? Weiss, sweetie, what's wrong?" It was her mother, and she sounded distressed.

Weiss hiccuped as more tears fell, but she didn't want to ignore her mom, so she got up and slowly walked to the door, hearing her mom pleading her to open the door for her. Once she did, Willow was shocked at how much Weiss had been crying.

"S-Snowflake." Willow instantly hugged her, feeling her daughter falling to her knees as she cried into her mother's shoulders when she too got on her knees. "W-What happened? Snowflake, why are you crying?" Willow felt like she was about to cry as well, but she needed to be strong for her daughter.

"N-Nothing… I just…" Weiss hiccuped again and sniffled, wishing she could get the words out faster. "I wanna see W-Winter." Family was what she needed. Loving family members, but Weiss knew that wasn't just all she needed.

"Sweetie, your sister is very busy, but I'm sure if you video call her, then-." Willow tensed up when her daughter buried her face into her collarbone. "This, this isn't just about your sister, is it?" Weiss shook her head, so Willow rubbed her back, letting her cry. "Please, tell me what happened, sweetie."

After taking a few breaths, Weiss pulled away, sniffling and wiping a few tears away. "I-I heard some glass break, so I went to go check." She stopped for a moment, but her mother would wait as long as she needed. "When I saw it was from… W-Whitley's room, I saw that he threw a glass against the wall."

Willow sighed sadly, wishing that she was able to catch onto how stressed her son must've been, but ever since he got more distant, it was harder to tell with each passing day. "Would you like me to talk with him abo-."

"No!" Weiss gasped. "I-I don't want you to, mom." Her reaction worried Willow, and negative thoughts of how their conversation may have went filled her mind.

"Weiss, what exactly happened when you spoke with your brother?" Willow questioned, holding her daughter's arms gently.

She shook her head, Weiss didn't want to think about it. "H-He didn't want to talk."

"Snowflake, look at me." Willow gently spoke, trying not to stress her daughter out more than she already was. As Weiss looked up, she still had tears falling down her cheeks. "What did your brother say to you?"

That tone of voice. It was her protective nature kicking in, and Weiss knew she couldn't get away with lying. "H-He got upset when I tried to go in his room… A-And he called me a mutt…" She shook a little, hiccuping once as her mother's eyes widened. Willow slowly stood up, Weiss looking up as she saw the anger in her mother's eyes, but she soon closed them and took a breath. "M-Mom?"

"Sweetie, stay here." Willow was about to walk out, but her daughter quickly got up and grabbed her arm.

"Mom, please, don't." Weiss was still shaking, but she didn't let go. "He was just… Upset. Please don't-."

"He is your brother, Weiss." Willow said in a stern tone. "But that does not mean he can say that to you and not expect to get into trouble, so please, let me go and speak with him."

Slowly, Weiss let go of her mother's arm and watched as she left her room, so she leaned over and peeked around the doorway, watching as she walked to her brother's room.

Willow sighed on the way there, feeling disappointed, but not with Whitley, but herself.

" _How could I have let them split apart this much…"_

As she stepped in front of his doorway, she looked inside and saw her son sitting on his bed, looking down at the floor with the shattered glass still on the ground. "Whitley."

Her son looked over, seeing her saddened expression. "If she told you what happened… Then just give me my punishment and leave me a-."

"Do not speak to me that way." Willow got serious as she stepped inside. "I understand that you want to be alone, but I am your mother, young man. And while I do my best to make sure you and your sisters are happy, I won't tolerate you insulting them."

Whitley looked angry as he stood up from his bed. "It was her fault for sticking her nose in my business! I didn't ask her to come over and check on me, and when I told her to leave me alone, just like what you're doing, she continued to pester me."

"Because she loves you! You are her little brother, and she wants to make sure you're okay. Is that really such a bad thing? Has your father made you truly believe that?" Willow said, taking another step forward.

Whitley clenched his fist when she brought up his father. "At least father is giving me a future I can look forward to! While Weiss and Winter could very well die one day because of something as stupid as their career paths!" His voice betrayed him as Willow could hear the pain behind it.

Willow took a breath and her anger subsided. "That's what this is about? You think they'll-."

"I know they'll be hurt! Father may be harsh, but he at least knows how to keep this family safe!" Whitley yelled back.

"You should know that your father will say what you want to hear to get you to do what he wants, honey." She tried a gentler approach as she walked over, hoping he wouldn't try to move away when she placed her hand on his shoulder. "Your sisters are doing what they've dreamed to do since they were younger. Don't you want them to be happy?"

Whitley took a step back and rolled his eyes. "What is there to be happy with if they get hurt? What then, mother?"

Willow crossed her arms, needing to get serious again in defense of her daughter's life choices. "Your sisters are choosing to put others before themselves. And no matter what you think, they are happy, Whitley. That's all you should care about when you think of what they do with their lives."

"And what about what I want, mother?! What if one day I hear they had died on some news report?! What then?!" Whitley started breathing heavily, so he looked to the ground, clenching his teeth as he wasn't calming down.

Instead of saying anything, Willow walked over and wrapped her arms around her son. He started to cry, making her rub his back in response as she knew how hard it was to imagine losing his family. "Why have you never spoken up about this, honey?"

"Because they would never listen…" Whitley stated.

"They want to be free to choose what they want in their lives, honey. I won't force you to like what they do, but I can't just sit by as you insult their choices." Willow pulled away for a moment. "If this is because of your father, then you need to tell me."

Whitley looked to the side. "I have my own opinions, mother."

"And I'm happy you do, honey, but let me ask you this." Whitley was nervous about what she was going to ask him. "How do you think your sister feels right now?"

He didn't answer immediately. All he did was think about how Weiss ran out in tears, so he turned around and kept his back to his mother. "I don't want to talk about this anymore, mother. Just like I said before, if I'm being punished, then go ahead."

Willow sighed and walked to the doorway, but looked over her shoulder for a moment. "If you really care about your sister's well being, you'll apologize to her before she's off to Beacon." As she walked out and closed the door behind her, Whitley felt a tear fall down his cheek.

Looking down the hallway, Willow knew Weiss was still in pain, so she mentally prepared herself for how she'd find her daughter.

Weiss wasn't crying anymore, but she was still wiping her eyes of the tears she had shed as she was sat on the ground, not able to even make it to her bed. When she saw her mom walking back in, she looked up. "Snowflake, I just want you to know that no matter what anyone says, I am so proud of you for chasing your dream." Willow kneeled down and hugged Weiss, causing her to hug her mother back in desperation.

* * *

 **Sadly Jacques' influence on Whitley is strong, but I'm not making him a Jacques Jr. So don't worry about that. He isn't gonna be a boring clone of his dad since I feel he can easily be someone who can care for his family, at least in this story.**

 **To JJ- To be honest, while thinking on how I'd have Weiss fight in her wolf form, it's closer to how Sif fights in Dark Souls. Giant wolf with a greatsword in its teeth. He was a badass, and yeah, Weiss and Winter still have a good sisterly bond here, so I'm glad you enjoyed that.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 7. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 8.**


	8. Still Moving

**Here's chapter 8, everyone.**

* * *

Weiss was in her wolf form, holding Myrtenaster tightly in her teeth as she swung at a dummy, growling as she sliced its head clean off. She didn't feel satisfied though, slashing down in a vertical angle at the dummy's chest, cutting it in two, yet even that wasn't enough, so she did a quick spin, cleanly cutting off its legs next.

The white wolf dropped her weapon and looked at the cut apart dummy, letting a few tears fall as she saw the damage she had done. It wasn't the reason she cried though. All she thought about for a week was what her brother had called her, and just how she just acted made her believe she really was just proving his point.

Willow couldn't be there for her at the moment since she was called upon by Summer, who was in Atlas for a job she was called for, but Klein was still there as he walked over when he saw her dropping Myrtenaster on the ground. "Snowflake, are you tired?"

Weiss shook her head, her wolf ears flattened against her head as she let her tears fall. "Whitley was right… I am a mutt…"

Klein kneeled down and placed his hand on her back, shaking his head. He knew about what her brother said to her since Willow informed him of it. "No, you are not, snowflake. You have an amazing gift, a semblance that broke out from the hereditary line of your family's semblance. What Master Whitley said was out of line, and will never be true."

"Look what I just did!" Weiss shouted, pointing her snout at the training dummy. "What do you call that?!"

He didn't need to look at the dummy to know what had happened. "I call that showing emotion. You were upset with what your brother said to you, so you responded with anger. Anyone, not just you can do this."

Weiss knew he was right, but her heart still hurt at how her brother's words would replay in her mind over and over again. "I-I want to go inside…"

The butler nodded, walking over to the table to grab her clothes as he and the white wolf headed inside. Once they got upstairs and into Weiss' room, Klein placed her clothes on her bed and stepped out, closing the door behind him after she walked inside.

A few minutes passed and Weiss opened the door, back in her human form with her huntress attire on. "If it's okay, I'd like to be alone for a bit, Klein…"

"I understand, snowflake, but please don't hesitate to call for me if you need any-." He stopped when she hugged him, so he patted her back and waited on when she wanted to pull away.

After a few moments, Weiss sniffled and pulled away. "I will. Thank you, Klein." Weiss walked back into her room and slowly closed her door. She sat on her bed and pulled her scroll out from the bag she kept on her back.

" _Maybe I should call Ruby."_

She thought to herself as she pulled up her contact list, but frowned at how small it was. It only had her mother, her sister, Klein, Ruby and Yang. Even her 'father' wasn't on there, and Whitley hadn't gotten a scroll for personal use, only business.

Weiss felt that she relied heavily on people too much, so she placed her scroll down on her bed and looked up at the ceiling, watching the fan above her slowly spinning. "Hmm." She laid back, holding her arms above her head as she simply kept staring up at the fan.

" _It's still… Moving. Continuing without stopping… But if I turn it off, then it will stop…"_

She closed her eyes, thinking about the fan stopping, but after a few moments, her blue eyes shined up after opening them and she saw the fan still spinning. It brought a smile to her face as she sat up and looked over at Myrtenaster.

The white haired teen nodded and got out of bed, grabbing her weapon as she moved her hand to her wolf pendant, clutching it close as she swapped the sharp edge form of Myrtenaster to its rapier form.

* * *

"Are you absolutely sure I'm not intruding on your work?" Willow asked as she set her purse down, quickly dusting off the chair she was about to sit on. Her question was met with a playful eye roll, so she sighed and sat down once she felt enough dust was cleaned off. "I'm being serious, Summer. I don't want to get in the way."

"Sheesh, relax, Willow. One, I got all week to work on this one, and two, I'm on break. So let me chill with my overly worrisome friend." The blacksmith said as she walked over with two cups of tea. "Gotcha tea this time."

Willow let out a small smile as she accepted the cup. "I didn't know you'd be okay drinking tea too." She took a sip and found it to taste a lot better than what she'd usually get if she went out for tea.

"Only a select few, but yeah, I can drink more than coffee, y'know." Summer chuckled and took a sip of her own. "Soooo, how did Weiss take the news of Ruby being accepted into Beacon?"

"I didn't get her initial reaction, but when I spoke with her about it, she seemed happy." Willow said, but something was bothering her, so she sighed, earning an eyebrow raise from the blacksmith, so Willow decided to not avoid it. "Weiss has been a little… Down recently."

"Oh. What's bugging her?" Summer asked, moving her cup to the side to hear what her friend had to say.

"She had a bit of an argument with her brother and he said some things she didn't like to hear." Willow held her cup with both hands, shaking her head sadly. "I should've done better to keep Jacques from influencing him so much."

Summer reached over and placed her hand over Willow's. "Hey, come on now. Don't start saying stuff like that. Even after all these years, you're still an amazing mother with three wonderful children." When she noticed that Willow wasn't budging, she continued. "Siblings argue a lot, Willow. Ruby and Yang are the same way, trust me."

"It's not the same." Willow stated, lifting her head back up. "Whitley has become so distant, but I know he still cares about them. It's just… He's slowly becoming more and more like his father. I can see it in him, and it terrifies me, Summer." She tightened her grip on the cup. "It terrifies me that I won't be able to stop it."

It wasn't a mystery to Summer that Willow hated how Jacques was, and through the years she had always wished Willow would get away from the man, but she knew that her resolve on keeping her family together was stronger than her own wants.

"He won't be like that man, Willow. I promise you that." Summer curled her hand around Willow's right hand after pulling it away from the cup, earning a surprised look from the white haired woman. "Sure, he might be troubled, but he isn't a lost cause, and I know how strong you are Willow Schnee. You'll be able to keep him from becoming that man."

Willow's heart was racing as she thought about her family. Winter was already living her dream, Weiss was about to start hers, and Whitley, she didn't know whether his dream was truly his.

"Summer… I… Thank you." Willow let a tear fall and as it hit the table, Summer tightened her grip.

"Don't mention it." The blacksmith smiled, trying her best to get her friend to feel better. "Hey, if you want, you can rest upstairs. You know I don't mind."

Willow shook her head. "No, I'll be fine. I'd like not to waste the time I have here so we can spend time together." The smile Summer wanted to see appeared.

"Ey! There's the smile!" Summer grinned and lifted her cup up in triumph. "I was so gonna drag you out shopping if that didn't work."

Willow couldn't help but chuckle at her reaction. "Summer, you hate shopping."

"Well yeah, but I like helping my friend feel better." Summer fired back as she drank some of her tea, yelping at how hot it was. "Ow!"

"You dolt. You're the one who made the tea in the first place. It was obviously going to be too hot to do more than sip." Willow said as she showed her by sipping her tea. "I swear, I can't tell if you're actually an adult sometimes." She smirked at the blacksmith.

Summer grumbled and stuck her burnt tongue out at her friend, yelping again since it was still super hot, so she brought it back in and watched as Willow started to giggle, so she herself smiled instead of pouting about it.

"I'll get you some milk." Willow wiped away a tear of joy that was shed and she walked up the wooden stairs, knowing Summer kept her fridge up there whenever she was set up in her workshop in Atlas.

After a minute, Summer was treated with a glass of milk set on the table, so she quickly grabbed it and drank. "Mmm, oh man… Now you see there, that is why I stick to coffee."

Willow rolled her eyes as she sat back down. "Drinking a hot coffee too fast would still warrant the same issue, you dolt." After she saw Summer reach that conclusion in her mind, the two shared a laugh together. "Ah, I've missed this…" Willow said as she held her cup.

"Same here, Willow." Summer looked over at the door to her workshop when she heard the door open, seeing who it was immediately. "Didn't know you were out in Atlas, Raven." Willow tensed up when she heard the name, so she turned in her chair, seeing the dark haired huntress walk over.

Raven groaned. "I was literally talking to you yesterday about this." She looked over at Willow. "You however, I didn't think I'd be seeing today. Why didn't you tell me she was going to be here?" She asked Summer.

Willow scowled at her. "And what is that tone you're using, Raven Branwen?" The two glared at each other for a moment before Summer got up and stood between them.

"Hey, hey, come on now. You two need to just relax, sit and enjoy the tea I made. Can we do that without wanting to bite each other's heads off. Please?" Summer begged.

Raven crossed her arms, red eyes meeting blue. "As long as she keeps her comments to herself, then I'm all good."

"I never say it to degrade you! I'm trying to help you!" Willow yelled.

Summer sighed as they started going back and forth, so she walked over to her hammer and slammed it against metal, making the two gasp and look over. "Hey! If you two are gonna argue, do it outside of my workshop… Or you can quit having a shouting match with each other, sit your butts down and drink. My. Tea."

Willow was taken aback by that, so she grumbled a bit and looked over at Raven, who simply shrugged and sat down at the table. "Fine… Well, I kinda need a cup if you're going to offer me tea." Raven said, waiting on Summer.

The blacksmith didn't move until she got Willow's response, so the white haired woman sighed and sat back down as well, waving her off, so Summer smiled and went upstairs to work on Raven's tea.

"You know I really don't mean anything by it when I say those things…" Willow trailed off for a moment. "I honestly only want to help."

Raven crossed her leg over the other and looked to the side. "I don't exactly need all that much help as I used to. I see her… Not as much as Summer or you say I should, but I still see her."

"Hmm." Willow mumbled and took a sip of her tea. "I suppose I can't say much on that." When she noticed the unimpressed look on Raven's face, she groaned and set her cup down. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry."

"Ugh, I don't need an apology. Just stop lecturing me about how I should behave like an actual mother." Raven kept her arms crossed.

"I already agreed not to, so can you drop the attitude, if not for me, then for us not getting kicked out of here." Willow said, offering a handshake to the huntress.

Raven didn't shake her hand immediately, but after realizing Summer would be upset if they kept arguing, she shrugged and shook her hand. "Alright." The two nodded and pulled away from their handshake. "Anyways, Summer keeps telling me you're still with dickhead of the year. So, is that off-limits on discussions or what?"

Willow sighed. "It's a simple answer. I stay with him because I don't want to tear my family apart. I'd rather not speak any further on that if you don't mind."

Raven held up her arms in defense, showing she'd back off. "Not another word from me on it." She heard the door upstairs open and watched as Summer walked down.

"Have you two decided not to make me kick you out or…" She walked over with the cup and placed it in front of Raven.

"Yeah, yeah, we're cool." Raven said as she lifted the cup up, taking a small sip.

Willow nodded in agreement. "Yes. We are. Um, though if you don't mind me asking. How is that you two are both here in Atlas at the same time?"

Raven groaned and reached into her pocket, grabbing a paper out as she placed it on the table. It showed a hunt request, and under it a request for a blacksmith to accompany them. "I'm not dumb, Summer. I know you had Qrow get me to accept this job so we can both be in Atlas."

Summer whistled innocently as she sat next to Willow. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Uh huh." Raven took another sip of her tea, while Willow looked back and forth between the two women.

"Um, am I missing something here or what?" Willow asked.

Raven planted her cup on the table, shaking it a bit as she glared at Summer. "This is just one of her old schemes to get us to work together again from time to time, which I need to remind her yet again, she can just ask me. I'm not a child, Summer. I won't up and ign-."

"But you do!" Summer whined. "Come on, Raven. Last time I asked to go with you on a hunt, you came up with some excuse saying you were gonna be in Vacuo, but I know you were in Vale at the time."

"And how can you prove that?" Raven asked as she crossed her arms again.

"It's called your twin brother." Summer said, also crossing her arms, making Willow a little uncomfortable.

"Okay? Um, maybe I should go. You two clearly need to talk about some things, so I'll-." Before she could get up, Summer spoke up.

"Nuh uh. Stay right where you are. I wanna see if Raven here can admit what she knows is true." Summer said as she held her glare.

Raven groaned in response. "Look, I don't need to go with you on hunts all the time. Is it so hard to understand, or is that skull of yours so thick it isn't possible for you to?"

"I just want my friend back okay!" Summer yelled, frowning at the dark haired huntress, who was surprised by her words, so instead she stood up and walked over to her work space, sitting and putting her goggles on like both Raven and Willow weren't even there.

Willow held her hand to her mouth, not seeing Summer usually like that. "Raven, I-."

"Don't." Raven got up and placed her katana on the table. "Just sit. I'll talk to her." She sighed and walked over to the blacksmith. "Hey… Are you just gonna have a small outburst in front of your friend like that and walk off? It's not exactly how Summer Rose would act."

"How would you know… You barely talk to me as much anymore." Summer replied, not stopping with her blowtorch.

Raven felt that sting and she couldn't deny how distant she got with Summer, so she placed both hands in front of the table Summer was behind. "What would I be able to do to make it up to you?"

Summer stopped and turned the blowtorch off, lifting her goggles up to look at Raven. "You can stop avoiding me… And Tai."

"You know why I do, damn it." Raven said, lifting her hands up. "He doesn't want to see me, so… Why should his wife see me either." She looked away.

"You are such an idiot." Summer got up from her chair and walked around the table, taking Raven's hand. "You're my friend, Raven. Not Tai's ex-wife. And if you think Tai doesn't want to see you, you're wrong. He wants to make amends."

Raven was surprised by that. "H-He does?"

Summer let out a smile and nodded. "It's been long enough, Raven. And while I'm proud of you for seeing Yang more often, you need to stop blacklisting yourself."

With a sigh, the dark haired huntress shook her head. "Sometimes it's better to just let people enjoy the lives they have and not get in the way of that."

"Well this isn't one of those times." Summer pleaded.

Raven pulled away from her. "I'm sorry, Summer…" She turned around and was about to leave, but was stopped when she walked right into a glyph. "What the-." Her eyes widened when she looked over, seeing Willow holding her hand up, but she was panting a bit.

Summer gasped and ran over, grabbing Willow to keep her from falling over. "Willow, you know you can't be using your semblance like that. You aren't properly trained for that."

Willow was helped onto the chair as she was taking a few breaths. "I just had to watch… Two of my children grow even further apart from each other… I will not sit by and make the same mistake again…"

"I-I…" Summer was at a loss for words, as Raven walked over, looking at the tired Schnee.

"Ugh, such an idiot." Raven pulled up a chair and sat next to Willow, rubbing her back to try and calm her down. "You really like sticking your nose in other people's business a bit too much, don't you?"

Willow let out a small chuckle, doing her best to regain her breath. "Sometimes… I learn more from my own kids than I thought I ever would." She let out a smile, both Summer and Raven looking over at each other.

The two women shared a nod, as they both knew they'd need to talk about their problems a lot more, and how to fix them, but for now they would sit by Willow and help her relax.

* * *

 **Having Raven like this instead of how she is in canon is more fun to work on. I really enjoy it, and I hope you all like the way she is here too. Anyways, not much else to say here.**

 **To JJ- With Whitley, I'm trying to have more details on him in later chapters. So it may take awhile to see what he's going to do in this story, but I do promise something is coming up with him soon here. And if you can, look up a vid on Sif. It's a sad story in Dark Souls, but how he fights is badass.**

 **To GoldElite245- Yeah a few people were able to see that, so yes, it is how I based her fighting style off of. And yes, it is a sad story indeed for Sif.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 8. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 9.**


	9. Protect Yourself

**Here's chapter 9, everyone.**

* * *

"If you wish to know more about what this branch of our company can do, then I suggest you pay close attention. Not many investors tend to care what goes on in Vacuo, but it is still a savage land where our resources prove to be useful enough to make a profit." Jacques noticed his son was staring off to the side. "Whitley!" He shouted, making him straighten up in his seat. "Repeat for me what I just said, young man."

Whitley was about to, but a shout from outside made his father look over. His head shake was clearly one of disgust as he walked over and was about to close the shades, but stopped when he realized that was where his son was staring at.

"So that's what you were looking at." Jacques turned and held his arms behind his back. "Let me tell you this, son. Don't waste your time worrying about that… Mongrel." Whitley's eyes widened. "She enjoys wasting her time in such a useless career choice, then let her, but you," He walked up to him and placed his hand on his shoulder. "You, my dear son will be the future of our company."

Even though he wasn't fond of what he said about his sister, Whitley nodded. "Of course, father."

Jacques grinned at how well he had groomed his son and went back to explaining the business to him. "Now then, as I was saying,"

Outside in the courtyard, Weiss was jabbing at the practice dummies, her movement seemed like she was dancing while battling. With her rapier form of Myrtenaster, she felt it was best to not slash with it, so pinpoint jabs were her main focus.

" _Vital points where the jabs can do the most damage. You can do this."_

Klein was keeping watch over her, as he proudly watched her different fighting style she used when she wasn't using her wolf form. Weiss yelled out as she jumped over one of the dummies, quickly spinning to jab at its back, hitting directly at the base of where the spine would be.

Even though she wasn't using her wolf form, the fierceness in her attacks were still present, even making Klein jump a little when she would jab her rapier through the dummies.

" _Mother always told me to keep on chasing my dreams. I can't do that if I flip the off switch."_

She remembered the fan in her room and took a deep breath as she held two fingers up and slid them on her blade, coating it in fire as she decided that swinging would be the right course of action. Once she swung her blade, a streak of fire shot out horizontally and hit about four of the training dummies, making Weiss smirk in success.

"Be careful with the dust, snowflake. You know how your mother feels about the grass burning up." Klein called out, making Weiss yelp as she quickly swapped over to wind dust and blew away any flames that were still present after her attack.

Klein chuckled as he watched her fumbling her rapier around when the wind dust made her almost drop it.

* * *

"You feeling any better?" Raven asked Willow as she looked down at the Schnee woman. At the moment she was laid down in Summer's bed, rolling her eyes at Raven. "I'll take that as a yes."

"I wouldn't be like this if you and Summer would just talk things out instead of being so dramatic." Willow groaned and sat up, rubbing the back of her head. "I honestly didn't think one glyph would be that taxing on me."

Raven helped her out of bed and shrugged. "When you have little to no training, yeah, it'll do that to you." Once Willow was on her feet, she lowered her arms to her sides. "You know it's not hard to ask for a little bit of training help."

Willow shook her head. "No, I'm not a fighter like you, and besides, if I can't even make one glyph without almost falling over at this age, what point would there even be to train?"

"Protection. Strength. Growing a damn backbone." Raven listed off, making the white haired woman scowl in return. "I'm not talking about him, smartass."

"You literally said grow a backbone. Who else could you be talking about?" Willow asked, still clearly annoyed with the huntress.

Raven rolled her eyes. "I'm talking about you as a person, idiot. Seriously, you make your comments here and there, but you can never really back it up. So why not learn a bit about your semblance?"

"Because I… I don't need to. My children are strong on their own, so they don't need-." Willow gasped when Raven grabbed both of her shoulders and sat her down on the bed. "W-What is the meaning of-."

"One, shut it. Two, I literally just said to train for you, idiot." Being called idiot multiple times was starting to annoy Willow, but Raven continued. "Your kids can be the strongest people in the world, but that doesn't stop you from being so damn weak, that even using one glyph almost knocks you out."

"We already discussed-." Willow was cut off again.

"I know about the White Fang, Willow. I know they target your family more so than others, and it's all because of him, so if you think just because your kids are strong, they won't have issues with the White Fang, you're wrong." Raven stated, confusing Willow.

"W-What are you talking about?" The white haired woman questioned.

"Say they go after you. Say you're by yourself, then that's it, Willow. You won't be able to protect yourself, and your kids… Your kids will be devastated." Raven explained.

Willow never thought about that, as she only ever cared about her own children's well being. "T-The White Fang don't tend to target us directly like that. So-."

"Look, damn it…" Raven held her breath for a moment, wanting to calm down. "A few years ago, I wanna say about three now," She sighed. "I got a call from my brother about Tai. He was injured in a hunt, and… And I remember going to see him. I couldn't walk in though…" Willow stayed silent, remembering how Summer was crying over the scroll when she was told about that. "But what I did do was look through the window of his room." She bit her lip. "I saw Yang. She was… Crying as she looked at her unconscious father."

"Raven, stop… I understand okay." Willow wanted to save her the pain of reliving the event.

"No, you need to hear this." Raven stated and continued her story. "I almost bolted out of that hospital, but when Summer caught me in the hallway, she begged me to go inside," Raven closed her eyes for just a moment and spoke. "So I did." When she opened her eyes, she let out what Willow felt was an anomaly to see. She smiled. "When I did, Yang saw me and ran to me. She hugged me tight and cried." Raven sat next to Willow. "I'm a shitty mother, Willow. I admit that, and yes… I realize I'm selfish too, but there are a few things I can at least understand. A kid needs their parent, no matter how old they get. So when Yang almost lost her dad, I had to step up."

Willow was truly shocked by that. "I had no idea…"

"I told Summer not to mention it to anyone since, well, she's Yang's mom. She raised her, but," Raven sighed. "It doesn't mean I shouldn't be there at least once in a while, so take what I said to heart. Your kids, they don't have a good father. Hell… He may be a worse parent than me, so you need to keep yourself going. For them, and yourself."

The way she spoke, it was unbelievable to Willow, but it also made her respect Raven more. "I can see why Summer still wants to spend time with you." She let out a small smile, while Raven rolled her eyes and stood up.

"Uh huh. Get your little session of teasing out of the way before I change my attitude." Raven said as Willow got up and chuckled.

"I think I'll save it for another time," Willow held her hand out to Raven. "Thank you."

Raven hesitated for just a moment, but she shook her hand anyways. "Don't get used to this. I still stand by a motto on how the strong survive and the weak die. I'm just trying to keep you on the right side of that motto is all."

Willow knew that was how Raven spoke, so she thought nothing of it and simply nodded as they let go of each other's hands. "Well then I'll have to start taking that advice… Maybe one of you can help me."

"Hmm. Maybe. We'll see." With that, Raven turned around and walked to the door. Willow followed close behind and the two women walked down the stairs to see Summer snoozing on her table. "Ugh, of course she's sleeping on the damn job."

"Can you blame her? She has been here since yesterday and from what I've seen, she's done a lot with just one day." Willow defended.

Raven crossed her arms and walked over, not caring about the excuses as she kneed Summer in the leg. "Wake up." When she heard Summer groan, she kneed her again, this time a little harder, so the blacksmith yelped and almost fell out of her chair.

"Ow! Who the heck-?" She stopped when she looked up at saw Raven glaring down at her. "What was that for?!" She whined, earning an eye roll from the dark haired huntress.

"Sleeping on the job when it was you who set this whole thing up." Raven argued, and Willow chuckled as she watched the two go back and forth at each other.

* * *

"Yang, come on already! I wanna talk to Weiss and you're seriously boring me with this." Ruby said as her sister was trying to help her train without Crescent Rose. "I'm no good at this like you, so just-."

"Sis, I know you don't like it, but sometimes you gotta learn how to fight like this. You won't always have a weapon with you in a fight." Yang reasoned as the two sisters were outside their house, with Tai keeping a watch over them.

Ruby sighed. "Easy for you to say with how you fight with shotgun gauntlets."

"Okay, I'll give you that one. It's hard for me not to have them, but still. I worry about you and what could happen if your scythe gets knocked away from you. Don't you want a fall back plan?" Yang questioned.

"I-I guess, but I really just wanna relax and talk to Weiss. She hasn't been feeling well for a week. You saw her in our last video call." Ruby reminded, making the blonde frown as she did see Weiss' face and heard how she sounded that day.

"You have a point… Okay, fine. We can call it here for today, but tomorrow we're gonna try this again." Yang said, earning a groan from her sister as the two walked to their front door. "Get the call going. I'm gonna grab a water bottle."

Tai opened the door for them and patted Ruby on the back. "Try not to let this kind of training get you down."

Ruby grumbled a bit. "Okay already." She didn't want to have that conversation and walked a little faster as she quickly ran up the stairs, wanting to call Weiss.

Yang sighed at seeing how she reacted. "Maybe I should lay off."

"Ruby likes to fight her own way, Yang, but that doesn't mean you can't try to help out in your own way too. Just try and respect when she wants to train or not." Tai suggested as he walked passed her and into the kitchen to get some lunch made for his daughters.

The blonde thought about her dad's words and went to go get her water bottle.

Ruby on the other hand picked her scroll up from her desk and quickly swiped through her contact list till she got to Weiss' name. She smiled and pressed her finger on the name, waiting on her friend to answer.

After a few moments, Ruby was greeted by the sight of her white haired friend. "Hello, Ruby."

"Hey, Weiss! Oh, you're outside." Ruby noted, seeing that the white haired girl was sitting at one of the tables in the courtyard.

"Very observant of you, Ruby. Yes I'm outside. I decided to do a bit of training before our move to Beacon." Weiss explained.

"Same, but I didn't really enjoy my training. Yang tried to make me fight her hand to hand again when she knows she'll easily kick my butt." Ruby pouted, earning a chuckle from her white haired friend.

"Well yes, but it wouldn't be so bad to know some of that kind of fighting. Though I shouldn't talk, I'm just as bad if not worse than you at that." Weiss admitted.

"Yeah, but you don't have a sister who will make you train that way even if you don't want to." Ruby stated.

"No, but I do have a sister that is in the military as an Atlas Specialist. Strict training is in her blood, so try not to forget that, Ruby Rose." Weiss said with a grin.

Seeing her grin was a relief for Ruby. "Right… Well, I'm glad you're feeling better, Weiss."

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Weiss questioned.

"You've just been a little… Down recently." Ruby explained as Yang walked in. "Oh, Yang just walked in." Ruby motioned for her sister to come over.

Yang got into frame for Weiss and waved at her. "Hey, ice wolf. Feeling any better?"

"W-Why do you two keep saying I wasn't feeling okay? And ice wolf?" Weiss was a little nervous that they knew about her 'semblance', since she wanted to keep it as a surprise.

"Uh, well you got that wolf pendant thing and you like ice dust a lot, so I thought it was appropriate." Yang explained, and Weiss was relieved that was all it was. "Anyways, Ruby told me you haven't been feeling too great all week. Something up you aren't telling us?"

"A week, but…" Weiss realized what happened exactly one week ago, so she frowned as she managed to distract herself enough with training to have almost forgotten about it. "O-Oh, yes, I didn't know you two noticed anything."

"We're your friends, Weiss." Ruby spoke. "Of course we'd notice how you're feeling. So if something happened-."

"I got into a bit of an argument with my brother." Weiss answered her before she could finish asking, but left out what he said to her. "It's just bothered me all week and we haven't spoken since."

Ruby frowned in response. "Have you tried to?" When Weiss shook her head, it made Ruby feel bad for her friend. "Well, maybe if you try to talk to him now, you might feel better."

"I'm sorry, and I mean no offense, but you don't know my brother like I do, Ruby." Weiss stated.

Yang spoke up next. "No, we don't, but still, he's your brother, Weiss. He can't be mad at you forever."

"Sometimes I feel like that may actually be a possibility, Yang…" Weiss looked down, almost tearing up at the thought, but when she lifted her head back up and saw her friends' concerned face, she let out a small smile. "I'll be fine, you two. We're going to Beacon soon, and that itself makes me happy."

"Y-Yeah. It makes me happy too cause we'll get to see you every day." Ruby said as she let out a smile of her own. "But, if you wanna talk to us about something that's bothering you-."

"I know. Don't be afraid to call." Weiss' smile was still present. "Honestly, Ruby… I think this is something I have to deal with on my own."

"A-Are you sure?" Ruby asked in a worried tone.

Weiss nodded. "Yes, it is. So please try not to be so worried and start preparing for Beacon. We haven't talked about this for years just for you to slack off days beforehand. I will be livid about that, Ruby Rose."

Yang smirked and ruffled Ruby's hair. "Ya hear that, sis. Ice wolf ain't gonna tolerate you if you show up all mopey, so cheer up too."

Ruby pouted at the hair ruffling. "Ugh, no fair that you two team up on me."

Weiss giggled at that, but as she looked over at the window to her father's office, she knew there was going to be one more thing to do before she would leave for Beacon in the next few days.

* * *

 **Sorry about not posting the day before. The site was/is having issues and I couldn't get it to let me post, so hopefully it works on the day I'm posting this chapter. Anyways, how are people liking that Ruby and Yang already know Weiss at this point? I like working with that idea since it gives me more chances for backstory stuff later on.**

 **To JJ- Both having Raven in, and having the interactions with Summer and Willow has been very fun to work with. I do have more parts later where they get serious, though Willow has already gotten pretty serious at times. And yeah, Weiss has a lot of support in this story. Just being able to have someone give her the advice that will help is the true question.**

 **To the guest on chapter 8- Ha. If best mom was around, then she'd be happy to whip Raven in to shape on going to see her daughter. For now, she's just off screen, but I may be including her much later for ideas I have. We'll see.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 9. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 10.**


	10. The Path I Want To Take

**Here's chapter 10, everyone.**

* * *

Weiss looked down at the outfit she was going to wear while at Beacon, smiling to herself as she was still in her nightgown at the moment. "Today is the day." She reached over to her wolf pendant and rubbed her thumb against it, nodding to herself as she placed it on her bed.

After changing into her outfit, the white haired teen wrapped her necklace around her neck, letting the wolf pendant bounce a little. She made sure her ponytail was offset as she recently started keeping it. Once she was ready, she looked into the mirror, smiling to herself.

"You look beautiful, snowflake." Willow's voice made Weiss jump a bit in surprise, causing her mother to chuckle in response. "Sorry, I couldn't resist, sweetie."

Weiss blushed in embarrassment, but after she grabbed her bag and made sure it was secured to the back of her outfit, she walked over to her mom and held her arms behind her back. "It's okay, mom. Is the airship ready?"

Willow nodded. "It is, yes, though I don't think you have to leave right away…" She trailed off, not wanting to show how sad she really was about her daughter leaving for Beacon.

It didn't get passed her though, and Weiss responded with a hug, surprising her mom who returned the embrace. "I know… I'm still really nervous about this, but I think I can really do this."

Hearing that could only bring out the supportive side in her. "I know you can, snowflake." She pulled away and rubbed her daughter's head, looking down at her with a proud smile. "You've come a long way, sweetie."

"Only because you helped me see I shouldn't stop moving." Weiss said as she walked over to Myrtenaster. "I promise I'll visit often, mom." She picked up her weapon and secured it on her hip, but thinking about what her mom said got her to sit down on her bed as she patted a spot next to her.

Willow nodded and sat next to her daughter, wrapping an arm around her as she felt Weiss resting her head on her shoulder. "Winter called today to tell me she wants to hear how your first day goes. So don't forget."

"I won't." Weiss closed her eyes, letting this feeling last longer. "Mom… I'm really going to miss you…" She sniffled a little.

"As will I, snowflake…" Willow wanted to cry as she pulled her daughter closer to her. "But you're making me so proud for continuing to chase your dream, and I know you'll have a wonderful time at Beacon."

Weiss opened her eyes and looked up, smiling at her mother. "With Ruby and Yang, I can't imagine I won't… Um, have you spoke to Whitley at all since… You know." Willow frowned as she shook her head, so Weiss looked up at her ceiling fan again.

Willow noticed that, getting her to look up at the fan as well. "Is something wrong with your fan, sweetie?"

"No, I just… I like to look at it." Weiss focused more on the fan. "It reminds me to keep on moving. To not stop, even with what Whitley said." Willow hated remembering that day, but she understood what her daughter meant. Weiss reached her hand up and held her wolf pendant. "I won't lie and say it doesn't hurt… But I need to continue, mom."

Willow brushed her daughter's bangs, feeling even more proud than she thought she could. "That's a very mature response, sweetie."

Weiss blushed a bit and pouted. "Are you saying I'm not mature normally, mother?" Whenever she used the word mother instead of mom, Willow knew she pinched a nerve, so she chuckled.

"I wasn't saying that, snowflake. I just meant that you're growing up, and… It makes me happy to see how far you've come." She got up and helped Weiss stand as well. "Why don't we have some tea before you head out?"

"I would love to." Weiss took her mother's hand as the two made their way outside, with Klein already waiting with the tray of tea and muffins on the table. "Klein!" Weiss ran over to hug the butler since she wanted to see him before she left for Beacon.

Klein patted her back and chuckled a bit. "Good morning to you too, snowflake." He looked over at Willow. "And to you as well, Ma'am."

Willow took a seat at the table and nodded to him. "Good morning, Klein. Thank you for the tea."

Weiss pulled away from the hug and curtsied, showing thanks to the butler. "Yes, thank you, Klein." She took a seat next to her mother and the butler was about to walk back to the manor, but Weiss called out for him. "Wait, where are you going?"

"Hmm? Well I am on the clock, snowflake." When he saw her frown, he couldn't help but walk back. "But, I suppose I can spare a few minutes." He smiled to assure her he would stay.

The white haired teen gave him a grin as she grabbed her cup and took a sip of her tea. "I'm hoping the tea at Beacon will be as half as good as you make it."

Willow sipped some of her tea as well, watching as Klein chuckled again and his eyes turned red. "Well if it's between us, I don't think those buggers at that school will have even a quarter of the skill I have."

Weiss gasped and giggled at how he praised his own skills, and the butler's eyes turned back to its natural light brown. "Yeah, you're probably right, but I can still hope."

"Just as long as you're eating well and the living arrangements are up to par, I won't have to file a complaint." Willow remarked.

Weiss groaned a little. "Mom, don't do that!" She whined. "I don't want the other students there to make fun of me for having the only mom who would go to the school board about how it runs its academy."

"A mother is not about to allow her child to live in such a-." Willow stopped when she saw Weiss looking annoyed, so she chuckled. "Sorry, sweetie. Just teasing again." It was a half lie.

"I'll have to deal with that a lot from Yang, mom…" Weiss sighed as she took a bite of her muffin and drank some of her tea to wash it down, being careful not to drink so much of it like a certain blacksmith would sometimes. "I only hope Ruby can be a human shield for her teasing for me."

"I'm sure you'll manage, snowflake." Willow said, placing her cup down to look up at the passing clouds. "Have you decided on if you'll use your semblance during initiation?"

Weiss blushed a little. "Um… I don't know. I'd have to find a safe place to put my clothes, and if I can't find them afterwards… Well… You know it isn't going to be exactly the best way to make a good first impression."

Willow knew Weiss hated how her clothes wouldn't appear on her after changing from her wolf form, but she couldn't tell her why it didn't work that way. "Well I know you'll do well whether you use your semblance or not, sweetie. You have been training in both fighting styles after all."

"Don't you think that may put me at a bit of a disadvantage if I don't use my semblance though?" Weiss asked. "I'd only use half of my potential."

"You don't need to go at one hundred percent all the time, snowflake. Just remember what you've learned and bring that out. You'll find that even ten percent can earn you a victory." Willow supported.

While she wasn't completely confident with that answer, Weiss simply nodded. "If you say so, mom…" Willow rubbed her back a few times and Weiss sighed. "I'm fine, mom. Just a little nervous."

"I know, and you're allowed to be. This is a big change for you." Willow stated.

Weiss hummed in response, but she was shocked when she saw her little brother standing at the doorway to the back entrance of the manor. "Whitley?" Both Klein and Willow were surprised by that as well when they looked over.

The thirteen year old boy walked over with his arms behind his back. "Father wanted me to inform you both that he'll be going on a trip to Mistral. So if you wish to go, then speak up now."

Willow sighed. "Honey, your sister is going to Beacon… Today."

Weiss frowned since she felt like he had forgotten all about that. "Ah, yes I would have thought you'd cancel your flight…" Whitley said, focusing his attention on his sister. "Well I will inform father that you won't be joining us. Mother, I did not get your answer yet."

"No." Willow responded. "I have other things to do, but I can tell your father that myself, honey. Why don't you come sit with us?"

"I'm far too busy for that, so now that I have your answers-." He stopped when Weiss stood up and took a few steps forward.

Once she was a few feet away from him, she crossed her arms. "Mom is offering for you to sit down and talk with us. A break is what she's also offering since you overwork yourself. So stop being so stubborn and take a seat."

Whitley glared at her. "And what if I don't want to?"

"You wouldn't have come out here just to ask us if we're going on a business trip or not. So just tell me… Why did you really come out here, brother?" Weiss said in a serious tone.

"Clearly you have no respect and assume that you're right in every sense, so if you don't mind, I'd like to-." He gasped when she stepped forward and grabbed his arm. "Unhand me right now."

"Not until you tell me why you treat me like this!" Weiss yelled, surprising Willow, Klein and Whitley. "What did I ever do to you that warrants this kind of behavior? Huh?!"

Whitley took a step back and roughly pulled away from his sister's grasp. "Having an outburst like that. You are still uncontrollable at times and it makes you-."

Weiss clenched her fist, making her brother tremble a bit. "Go ahead, brother. Go on and call me a mutt… Or is it mongrel this time? Hmm? Which is it, Whitley?!"

"W-What? I have never called you a mongrel!" Whitley defended, and Willow wanted to step in, but Klein shook his head, showing that they needed this.

A few tears were threatening to fall as Weiss looked away. "After what you said… All I could do was think about what else you'd call me." A tear fell. "Do you not love me…"

The question made Whitley tense up. Of course he loved her. She was his sister, but to be questioned on it was what hurt him. "What kind of question is that? Ugh, I have no time for this." He was trying to dodge the question.

"If that's your answer… Then you don't." Weiss felt more tears falling and Whitley couldn't look away that time.

"This… This path you're taking is foolish, Weiss! You'll end up getting killed fighting monsters! Do you not see that?!" Whitley yelled.

Weiss was surprised by how he said that and she wiped her tears, putting on a more serious face as she glared at him. "It's the path I want to take, Whitley! I know the risks and I don't care. So stop treating me like I can't take care of myself."

"What's the point?! Why fight monsters when you can stay here, safe with our family?!" Whitley looked like he was on the verge of begging.

It was getting much clearer to Weiss now. Whitley didn't hate her, he hated what she wanted to do with her life, so she took a step forward and grabbed Myrtenaster, planting it on the ground. "This," She motioned to her weapon. "Is my life. It's what I've trained for, what I've fought for. I know you're scared of me getting hurt, but with how the world is, I want to be one of those who protects people, Whitley. I'm sorry."

Whitley bit his lip and turned away from his sister. "I see… Well if that is your answer… Then… I can't stop you." He took one step forward, but stopped when he turned back to face her, bowing to her, which caught her off guard. "I'm sorry…" He turned back around and walked back inside the manor, not showing his family that he was beginning to tear up.

Weiss looked down at Myrtenaster, noticing her own tears began to hit the pommel of it, so she lifted her hand up to squeeze her wolf pendant. Moment passed as she felt her mother wrapping her arms around her from behind. "I know it now…"

Willow closed her eyes, nodding in agreement as she herself knew it too. They stayed silent for a few moments as Weiss held it in her heart that her brother did somewhat care, if not very much. But she couldn't stop moving because of his concern. So she looked up at the clouds, just as her mother did, watching as they moved with the rotation of the planet.

* * *

 **Sorry this one is a little shorter. I like to just make sure I get the point across in a chapter, and if I'm able to in a shorter word count, I don't like to try and extend it for no reason, so I hope that's okay.**

 **To JJ- Raven in this will still have her moments of being too hard on people, but I try to balance that and how she still cares about her family. Whitley is kind of the same. He cares for his family, but his father's influence is keeping him back.**

 **To GoldElite245- The moment I chose to have Summer alive in this, and for her to know Willow, I knew it was going to have Ruby and Yang knowing Weiss in their childhood. It's fun to work with. And Blake will have… Issues. All I'll say.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 10. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 11.**


	11. The First Day

**Here's chapter 11, everyone.**

* * *

"Okay, this is it, sweetie." Willow smiled as she stood in front of the airship door with her daughter. "I expect a video call tonight, and don't forget to brush your teeth and-."

"Mom." Weiss reached up to hold her mother's shoulder. "Relax." She let out a reassuring smile to get her mom to stop being so worrisome. "I promise to call you before I go to bed, and yes I'll be sure to have everything done by tonight. Okay?"

Willow blushed a bit, embarrassed by how she had gotten just then. "Y-Yes, I'm sorry, sweetie. I guess I wasn't completely ready to see you off after all." She let out a sad smile.

"Me neither… But I remember when Winter left too. And… I couldn't help but cry, mom." Weiss leaned in and hugged her mother. "I'll probably do it again tonight."

"I don't know if I'd be able to hold it back myself, snowflake." Willow said, hugging her back tightly. "I'm going to miss you so very much."

"I love you, mom." Weiss buried her face into her mother's shoulder as she had to tip toe a bit.

"I love you too, my little snowflake." Willow rubbed the back of Weiss' head and pulled away to show she was crying, but also smiling. It made Weiss smile back with tears of her own falling down her face. "Now go on. Show Beacon Academy what a Schnee can do."

Weiss sniffled and wiped a tear away, nodding happily. "Right!" Before she would leave, she turned to the butler who accompanied them to Weiss' departure. "Klein… I'm really going to miss you too." She hugged the short butler.

Klein returned the embrace and leaned his hand up to wipe a stray tear away. "And I you, snowflake." He pulled away to look at her, proudly smiling at where she's gotten. "Look at you, all grown up and ready to take on Beacon. I am so proud of you, snowflake." Weiss let her tears fall again as she threw herself into a hug with him again, feeling like what she should feel if her 'father' showed her this kind of support.

After a few seconds, she pulled away and lifted her suitcase up as she walked to the airship door. Before she stepped through, she turned around and held her hand up to her pendant for her mother. "Thank you, mom… Thank you, Klein." She gave her one last smile as she turned back around and ran inside the airship, ready to finally take the first step.

Willow watched as the airship began taking off, and she wiped her eyes, thinking about her daughter the entire way. "Lazuria… I hope you know how amazing your daughter has become." She didn't leave the spot she was standing on until the airship carrying her daughter was completely out of sight.

When it was though, she couldn't stop more tears from falling, as the effect of Weiss not being around her started to settle in. She held her arm as she cried and wished somehow she could've gone with her daughter, but that would mean leaving her son completely alone with her husband, so she took a breath and walked back to her car with Klein, preparing herself for the day ahead.

* * *

Several hours passed, and Ruby looked out of the airship window, grinning at how she could see Beacon in the distance. "There it is." Her whisper was full of anticipation and joy. "I can't believe I'm actually seeing it with my own eyes."

Yang walked up and bent over to see through the window too. "Yup. That place is gonna be our new home for awhile. You ready for that, sis?" When she saw her sister didn't look away from the school, she chuckled and rubbed the top of her head, surprised she didn't get an annoyed reaction from her, but she wouldn't say anything about it. "Gonna try and show off?"

"Hehe. Duh. Crescent Rose wasn't just made to be a huge scythe. It'll be the number one weapon at Beacon with how many kills I'll get with it." Ruby smirked with confidence.

"Is that right?" Yang smirked back and activated her gauntlets. "Ember Celica might have to say otherwise."

"We'll see about that, sis." Ruby didn't back down and the two sisters butted heads as they stopped after hearing a woman's voice. They turned to see it was a blonde woman with green eyes. "Huh? Oh, that's the huntress I was with when I… Uh…"

"Stowed away on an airship." Yang crossed her arms, getting a groan from her little sister, but she playfully rolled her eyes and the sisters heard the woman say something about landing soon, so they both grinned and got ready.

* * *

In another airship not too far from the one Ruby and Yang were on held a black haired girl wearing a bow on the top of her head. She sighed while leaning her head against her palm, keeping her elbow planted on the window sill. "You hear they're launching people into the Emerald Forest again?" The girl with the bow listened in, but barely to two students.

"Kinda seems a bit harsh don't you think?" The boy said to what the black haired girl believed was his friend. "Usually it was just like, what? A few training courses and then a couple of sparring matches to pick who would be on what team."

"Yeah, but this works too. Shows who can handle being out on the actual battlefield. Besides, we all have been training for this. No slacking off and all that is probably their motto." The other student reasoned.

The girl with the bow, her name was Blake, sighed to herself, thinking about how she was already out on the field, but not in the way they themselves were talking about.

" _Of course they should send us out there. It shows who should be here and who shouldn't."_

As she looked out the window, she saw Beacon in the distance, sighing again as she pushed herself away from the window sill she was up against. "Hey, you new?" One of the two students she was listening in on asked, but she paid them no mind. "Uh, hey, did you hear me?"

"I did, yes. But I'm not all up for making small talk." Blake said as she walked passed them, knowing they were landing soon. "Oh, and word of advice, if you think fighting in the forest is harsh, then I'd say stick to scavenging missions in the future."

The one who complained about the initiation was taken aback, but before he tried to step forward to fire back, his friend held him back and told him not to cause any trouble. Blake didn't really care all that much though, as she felt herself shake a bit.

All she could do was look down at her right leg, biting her lip as she felt like she could see through her own clothes. She shook her head, not wanting to focus on what marred her skin, so she grabbed one of the handles hanging from the top of the airship's ceiling.

* * *

"Where are you, Willow?" Raven asked over the scroll. "You're the one who asked for me, so don't make an excuse about-."

"I'll be there soon, Raven." Willow cut her off. "I just had to watch my daughter leave for Beacon, okay. It's still just setting in."

She heard Raven sigh, making her tense up. "Usually I wouldn't let something like that be used as an excuse… But Summer would bite my head off if I don't, so take whatever time you need. Just let me know if you're skipping out on training today or not."

Willow was glad Raven understood. "I should be fine to meet up with you by three in the afternoon. Does that sound fine with you?"

"That would work, but don't expect me to go easy on you just because your kid is out of the house. Got it?" Raven waited on her answer, testing Willow.

"Summer did warn me you're a bit tough on people… Yes, I can deal with you not going easy on me." Willow took a breath, thinking how she was going to have a lot more time to train now since Weiss left for Beacon.

"Good. See you then." Raven wasn't that great at saying bye, as Willow watched as the call ended, so she put her scroll on her bed and looked over at her family painting.

It showed her and Jacques sitting on two chairs, while Weiss was sitting on Willow's lap, Winter was standing in the middle and Whitley was on his father's lap. She sighed to herself, wishing her family was closer, but she knew that wasn't going to be easy to accomplish because of Jacques.

She got up from her bed and walked to the mirror, looking at her reflection. Her white hair and blue eyes always reminded her of Lazuria. The biggest reason why it was so easy to take Weiss into her family and pass it on as she was truly a Schnee. Willow moved her bangs out from her face.

" _Lazuria… Where are you?"_

The white haired woman looked over at the grandfather clock in her room and noticed it was only ten, so she sat back down on her bed and brought her scroll back up, dialing Raven's number again.

After waiting a few moments, she heard the black haired huntress. "What now? Don't tell me you're about to cancel."

"No, it's not that. I was thinking maybe we can start earlier. Maybe eleven instead?" Willow requested.

"Why the sudden change?" Raven asked.

Willow let out a smile. "Because I realize that my daughter is still moving forward, so I can't just stop and sit still. You said it yourself. My family needs me, so I need to learn to keep myself protected. So, will you be able to meet me in an hour?"

"All on you, Willow… But I have to say, I'm a little impressed. See you in an hour." Again, Raven wasn't the best at waiting, so she ended the call before Willow could respond.

As she placed her scroll on the bed, she gasped and realized something. "I don't have a combat outfit…"

* * *

As her airship landed, Weiss' heart was racing, her mind all focused on what she was about to do. She quickly picked her suitcase up and walked outside when the door opened. The fresh air was what really drew her outside, feeling her ponytail flowing in the wind. "I'm here."

"Huh, a Schnee? Didn't think I'd see one here." A voice said as they walked up to Weiss, surprising her as she turned around and saw a tall boy with brown hair and what looked to be a mace.

Weiss didn't like the way he spoke and looked away. "Well yes, I am here at Beacon to train after all. Though I don't see why you're surprised to see a Schnee here. My sister is one of the highest ranking Specialists in the Atlas Military I'll have you know."

"Yeah, yeah, but that's military. This here is a hunter academy. Not some boot camp." The boy, who was named Cardin stated with a smirk.

As she turned to see his smirk, she scowled at him. "Do not undermine those who are clearly much more experienced than you." That comment made the boy growl in anger. "Now then, if you don't mind. I'd like to get inside." With that, she lifted her suitcase back up and right as she took a step forward, he grabbed her by the shoulder and spun her around, making her gasp.

"Wanna try to say something now, princess?" Cardin glared, but before he knew it, he was punched to the ground, making Weiss jump back a bit as she saw golden locks flowing in front of her.

"Heh, not that strong of an aura if you got knocked down to the ground in one hit." Yang said as she smirked down at the boy, who had dropped his mace and was rubbing his chin. "Go on. Get up and try something again."

Right as he reached for his mace, Ruby appeared behind him and took her scythe out. "Trying to grab that lame excuse for a mace there, buddy?"

"The hell you girls even want?!" Cardin yelled as Ruby kicked his mace away, making him even more angry than he was already. He looked over at Weiss and spit at her, but she moved back, avoiding it. "You Schnees always need someone protecting you, huh?"

Before Weiss could respond, Yang walked up to the boy and lifted him up with both hands, glaring at him with red eyes. "Keep messing with my friend. Go on and see what happens, dipshit."

As she let him go, the boy backed up and leaned down to pick up his mace, grumbling and cursing under his breath as he walked away from the girls.

Weiss frowned a bit, thinking about what he said. "That… Wasn't the best first step onto Beacon grounds…" Ruby turned around and ran up to her friend, wrapping her in a hug as they almost fell over, but Yang held her arm out to keep Weiss from falling over. "Gah! Ruby Rose!"

Yang chuckled when Ruby was nuzzling her face on Weiss'. "Weiss! We all made it!" Ruby exclaimed as Weiss was trying to push her away while blushing in embarrassment.

"Yes, I know. Now let go of me, you dunce!" Weiss yelled as she continued to struggle in Ruby's grasp.

"Just give up, Weiss. You know Ruby ain't about to pass up on hugging you." Yang noted. "We barely ever see you outside of a video call after all." Weiss groaned and accepted that she wasn't going to be able to pry Ruby off, so she stood still and watched as Yang joined in on the hug, making her smile again. "Good to see you, ice wolf."

"It's good to see you too, Yang." Weiss sighed happily and let the moment last a bit longer, while she looked over Yang's shoulder to see other airships landing. "It looks like there's a fair amount of students this year."

The sisters pulled away from the hug and turned to see the airships as well, Yang dismissing what she said. "Nah, it looks like it's just returning students too. Unless this place can hold a crap ton of people that is."

Weiss shrugged. "I don't know, but… Um, thank you both for dealing with that ruffian. I don't know why he thought he could just walk up to me and insult my sister's profession."

"Ugh, is that what he did? We only got to where he tried to do something to you." Yang said in an angered tone, while Ruby clenched her fist.

"I should've kicked his mace off the side of the school grounds." Ruby said as she already had someone to hate at the academy.

"You two won't have to do anything. I can handle myself." Weiss stated, but then she realized the real reason why they were all here. "Enough about that though. I don't want that boy ruining this day."

"That's the spirit, ice wolf." Yang patted her back a few times, and as the three girls made their way to the academy, they all yelped when someone ran passed them. "Hey, watch it!"

The boy who ran passed them said nothing as he got to a trash can and began barfing into it, making the three girls grossed out. "Ew…" Weiss said, looking away as she couldn't stand the sight anymore.

Ruby however ran over when the blonde haired boy finished puking. "Um… Hey, are you gonna be okay there?" She asked, rubbing his back a bit as he was regaining his breath.

"H-Huh?" The blonde haired boy lifted his head up and wiped his mouth, noticing the girl talking to him, so he gasped and moved away. "Uh… What? I mean, uh, hey there?"

Ruby raised an eyebrow in confusement. "Hey? Seriously though, are you gonna be okay? You puked a lot."

The boy groaned in response, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, no kidding… I'm not that great on airships. Um, how come you walked over here though? Most girls wouldn't wanna get near someone who just hurled into a trash can."

"Well lucky for you that I'm not like most girls." Ruby gave him a smile. "What's your name?"

"Uh, Jaune. Jaune Arc." The boy replied.

"Ruby Rose." The rose girl introduced herself, offering him a handshake, but yelped when the blonde boy turned back into the trash can and hurled again.

Weiss and Yang walked over, with the white haired teen crossing her arms and looking rather unimpressed, while Yang smirked. "So, vomit boy. Airships not your thing?"

Jaune groaned again into the trash and Ruby chuckled a bit. Weiss however turned to look towards Beacon, regaining her smile as she was ready to start her first year.

Yang noticed the smile on Weiss' face and was about to comment on it, but she caught a glimpse of a girl with black hair wearing a bow. It didn't take even a moment to notice she had a bit of a limp in her walk.

* * *

 **And now it finally gets to Beacon. Hope introducing others in this was okay. I have ideas here and there that I may do, but I'm still not sure. So we'll see. Anyways, not much else to say here.**

 **To JJ- Yeah, working with characters in a story is fun to change up here and there, and that's why I like fanfiction cause people don't have to stick to canon. Anyways, glad you liked it.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 11. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 12.**


	12. New Friends

**Here's chapter 12, everyone.**

* * *

"Hey, I'll be right back." Yang said as she walked away from the others. The girl with the limp didn't seem like she was in pain, but she didn't want to ignore her, so she called out to her. "Hey, you need some help there?"

Blake turned to see the blonde girl walking over to her and she held her hand up, trying to keep her back. "I'm fine."

"Uh, I don't doubt that, but you're kinda walking with a limp there." Yang pointed out.

"Some people would call that rude to just up and call out someone on their injury." Blake said with a glare. "Me being one of those people."

Yang held her hands up in defense. "Hey, I was just trying to help is all. I'll back off if you don't want any, but I still think you should go see the nurse of this place before initiation."

"I only recently obtained this injury. It'll heal with time." Blake replied, not wanting to waste her time in an infirmary. "Besides, what we fight won't care if we're hurt out there."

"No, but that doesn't mean you should go in unprepared beforehand. Hell, I'm pretty sure that itself is common sense." Yang remarked, earning an eye roll from the girl with the bow. "Look, I'm not trying to be a pest here, y'know."

"Prove it by letting me walk on my own without worrying." Blake challenged.

Yang sighed in response. "Alright, I will, but only if you let me walk with you inside. Does that sound fair with you? I won't hold your hand or anything."

"That's still breathing over my neck." Blake crossed her arms.

"Not really. I'm just trying to meet new people. First one I met messed with my friend, and the second one threw up in a trash can. So you know what they say. Third time's the charm." Yang grinned.

Blake looked over Yang's shoulder, noticing who she was talking about, but what caught her eye was the girl with white hair. "Wait, is that…" She moved passed Yang and squinted her eyes, feeling like they were playing tricks on her.

"Is that what?" Yang looked over where Blake was and saw she was staring at Ruby and Weiss. "Oh, that's just my sister and my friend. The blonde dude is the one who threw up."

When she confirmed her suspicions, Blake was in utter shock. "You're friends with Weiss Schnee?"

"Uh, yes? I know her family is rich and all, but it's not that unbelievable you know." Yang stated. "And so what if I am?"

"N-Nothing." Blake looked away from the Schnee, wishing she hadn't come to Beacon after all. "Look, I'm going inside. Do whatever you want." She said, walking away from the blonde.

"W-Wait, hold up." Yang ran up to catch up with the black haired girl. "You didn't even tell me your name yet, and now you're all of a sudden walking off. The heck?"

Blake stopped in her tracks. "My name is Blake, and I'd rather you just stop following me to be honest."

Yang was taken aback, but she wasn't dumb and had her suspicions. "Is this because I'm friends with Weiss? What? Do you have a problem with my friend?" She was starting to get angry.

"Do you not know what her family is involved with?" Blake said as she turned, looking equally angered. "If you don't, then I'd say you're not that great of a friend."

The lilac in Yang's eyes changed to a vibrant red as she stepped up to the girl with the bow. "If you wanna say shit about me, fine, I don't care, but don't start insulting my friend's family."

Blake didn't stand down. "That company her father runs takes advantage of everyone who gets involved with it. If you think that's right, then you're no better than them."

"And you're just gonna blame Weiss and her family for that? Is that it? Cause if you are, then you're the one who's just as shitty as her dad." Yang fired back. "Not even trying to get to know the people behind the name."

"Why are you defending-." Before Blake could finish, she saw Yang stomp her foot and stopped.

"I know her dad is a jerk. I hear it enough from her. But she isn't like him, so don't lump her, her mom or her sister with that guy. If you can respect that, then maybe I won't have to knock you into next week." Yang threatened.

"If all you can do is resort to violence," Blake felt the hypocrisy in her words, but she continued. "Then this conversation is over."

Yang clenched her teeth, and as soon as she felt the need to rush the girl, she took a breath and her red eyes changed back to its natural shade of lilac. "What is your deal with her family? Just tell me why the hell you're so against them."

"Besides how he treats everyone who comes in contact with his company? Add on the terrible way he treats Faunus. If you thought humans had it bad working for him, Faunus have it ten times worse." Blake stated.

"Well… I still don't see why you have to try and put that on Weiss. She doesn't even want to get involved with her family's company." Yang explained.

Blake was surprised by that as she looked over at the Schnee, who at the moment as smiling as Ruby showed off her sniper scythe to Jaune. "She… Doesn't?"

"Not one bit. And if you know the Schnee family as much as you think you do, you should know her sister doesn't care about the company either. Hell she's a damn Specialist already." Yang pointed out.

With a sigh, Blake shook her head and looked back at the school. "Whatever." She tried to walk to it, but once Yang was on her side again, she groaned. "Why do you even want to follow me still? Moments ago you wanted to punch me into next week, right?"

"Still kinda do since you keep on walking away from me." Yang said, but she continued walking with the black haired girl. "Look, why don't you give Weiss a chance? See who she really is instead of just slapping the Schnee logo on her face and calling it a day? She'll surprise you, trust me."

"And what if I'd rather just go through the school year without talking with any of you?" Blake questioned.

"I won't stop you." Yang answered truthfully. "Right here, right now. If you tell me to screw off, I will."

Blake was surprised at how easy that would be, but as she continued to limp, she thought about something a friend of hers told her once. How she would break the teeth of anyone in school who insulted her. "I… Guess you don't have to leave. But don't bug me the whole way there."

Yang grinned and lifted her arms up, holding her hands on the back of her head as the two walk. "You got it, Blake. I'm Yang by the way."

"Hmm, okay then." Blake said nothing else as the two made their way inside.

* * *

"So that thing is a sniper, and a scythe?" Jaune asked as he stared at Crescent Rose, feeling quite intimidated by the large weapon. "How do you carry that thing around so easily?" He asked while ducking away from it.

"Hehe. Weiss asked me that too." Ruby said as she planted her weapon on the ground. "I just trained with it and know how to handle this baby right." She noticed his sheathed sword. "Oooh, you use a sword?"

"Huh? Oh, uh, yeah." Jaune unsheathed his blade, showing the plain looking sword to both Ruby and Weiss, the former smiling at it, while the latter seemed unimpressed. "Uh, it's kind of a hand me down," When he noticed Weiss' unimpressed look, he fumbled his next words. "B-But it can do more… Um, the sheath can be a shield. Watch." He reached for the sheath and as he tried to put it in its shield form, he almost dropped it and bounced it around, gasping as he tried to catch it. Lucky for him he did as it popped out into its shield form.

Weiss simply blinked a few times. "Wow… That's… Something." She didn't want to sound rude, but she honestly couldn't think of anything to say in a positive manner.

Ruby chuckled and got a closer look at the shield. "I think it's actually pretty cool. Your sheath is your shield, so it's like having less to carry, right?"

"Oh, uh, yeah I guess I never thought of it that way." Jaune admitted, feeling a bit less disappointed of his weapon. "The shield is pretty durable too."

"Hmm, well that would be what I expect from a shield to be honest." Weiss said, pulling Myrtenaster out. "If we're having a show and tell, this is my weapon."

Jaune looked at the silver blade, looking at the engravings. "Wow, so you don't use a shield with it?"

"Sword and board just isn't my style." Weiss explained as she swapped to its rapier form. "It also has two forms and can be augmented with dust through its cylinder."

"Wow, that's… Cool. Um, I didn't know dust could be used on our weapons." Jaune replied, looking at the shocked expressions on the girls' face. "W-What?"

"How do you not know dust is used in weapons? Seriously, I'm sure every hunter out in the world uses dust in some way." Weiss stated.

Jaune scratched the back of his head and grumbled a bit. "I don't know. I just thought they used the dust itself or something. Is it really that bad not knowing?"

Weiss was about to answer, but Ruby spoke up. "Well I don't think so. You're here at a school to learn about all this stuff, right?" When Jaune gave a weak nod, she smiled. "So don't feel so down about it! You'll see how cool it is to use dust with your weapon, and maybe you can even have your sword do crazy stuff, like shoot out lighting walls, or ice spikes!"

Her enthusiasm was one of the many things Weiss enjoyed, so she smiled and decided to support her words. "Ruby is right. Even though I still find it hard to believe you didn't know about using dust on weapons, I suppose a start on discovering this new information is best done at a school."

"R-Right." Jaune let out a smile as he felt a bit better. "Well, why don't we head on inside?"

The two girls nodded, but when they looked around, they noticed a certain blonde haired girl wasn't around. "Huh? Where did Yang go?" Weiss inquired.

"Uh, not sure." Ruby said as she tried to spot her sister in the crowds of other students. "No yellow manes around in sight. Maybe she met up with some of her friends?"

Weiss snorted in annoyance, feeling a bit betrayed. "I finally get to see that blonde oaf in person after so long as she can't even stay around us for more than ten minutes."

"I'm sure she's just trying to meet up with everyone she knows, Weiss. Come on now! We've got an academy to impress!" Ruby grabbed her hand and started dragging her friend, making her yelp as Jaune chuckled and followed behind them.

* * *

"Man, this place is pretty cool on the inside too." Yang remarked as she whistled. "What do you think of it, Blake?" After not getting a response for a few moments, Yang looked over at the black haired girl. "Blake?"

"Hmm?" Blake and Yang were both in the main hall, looking up at the podium, though Yang was more so paying attention to Blake. "Oh, yeah it's fine."

"Fine? Just fine? Come on, this place is impressive." Yang grinned and wrapped an arm around Blake's shoulders. "Admit it."

Blake wasn't exactly fond of the contact, so she scooted over to the left, earning a groan from the blonde. "We literally just met minutes ago."

"And? I like being friendly. Is that so bad?" Yang asked, feeling the girl would be a tough challenge to get through, but she wouldn't give up so easily.

"People are different." Was all Blake told her.

"Ugh, well sure, yeah I get that." Yang sighed and rubbed her own arm and shrugged. "I just thought it would be nice to meet new people here is all."

"Well don't just try and hug them the moment you meet them. It's a turn off." Blake bluntly responded as she turned her attention to the podium again, but when she glanced over to see Yang frowning, she sighed. "I like reading."

"Huh?" Yang moved her hand from her arm and seemed confused.

"Reading. It's a hobby of mine. You said you wanted to meet new people… So there." Blake explained, keeping her eyes trained on the podium again, not seeing the smirk on Yang's face.

"Books, huh? Well hey, I'll have to hang out with you at the library here and there. Me? I don't know about one hobby specifically, but I like to game with my sister a lot. Soooo, if you ever feel like taking a challenge on something you haven't done before, you know where to find me."

Blake rolled her eyes, but Yang's way of speaking to her made her feel less stressed. "I don't know if you get how different video games and books are."

"Oh I do, but that's why I called it a challenge." Yang reminded. "And hey, it gives you a fresh change of pace. I mean, if you have a few books to suggest, I wouldn't mind taking a read myself."

"You honestly don't seem like the type." Blake replied.

"What? To read? I mean, if you know books, then you should know not to judge one by its cover." Yang stated, crossing her arms as she smirked.

Blake was a bit surprised, so she turned back to Yang. "I didn't mean… Okay, fine, you have a point." She sighed. "I may have a few books you might like, but we can talk about that later. I believe the headmaster is about to come up on stage in a few minutes, so we should be paying attention."

"Right." Before Yang turned around, she noticed her sister and Weiss walking in, with Jaune following close behind. "Hey! Sis, over here!" Blake's eyes widened, as she knew the Schnee was with Yang's sister.

Sadly for Blake she couldn't just walk away at that point, as Ruby was already running over, still holding onto Weiss' hand. "Where did you go, Yang? And who's this?" Ruby asked when she got to her sister.

Weiss groaned as she pulled away from Ruby's grasp. "Ugh, you dolt. Why didn't you let go of me the fifteen times I kept saying to?" She said with a glare.

"Don't be like that, Weiss. I just wanted to make sure we got here on time." Ruby giggled a little as Jaune caught up. "Oh, sorry, Jaune. I didn't mean to leave you behind."

The blonde boy rubbed the back of his head and chuckled nervously. "It's fine. Uh, man this place is pretty crowded don't you think?"

"Duh. Every first year is here, and it looks like I was wrong. There are a bunch this year." Yang noted as she noticed Blake was avoiding looking at the others, so she sighed and leaned over to whisper. "Come on. She's seriously not like her dad. I swear it." Blake didn't budge though, and Yang frowned, so she turned back to the others and smiled when she saw Weiss' scowl. "Did I do something wrong, ice wolf?"

"Other than disappearing all of a sudden on us?" Weiss crossed her arms.

Yang chuckled and shrugged. "What can I say? I'm adventurous and this is a new place with a whole bunch of new people. Can you really blame a girl for wanting to move around a bit?"

Weiss rolled her eyes, but then thought about the fan. "Hmm, no I suppose not, but next time you could at least let us know you're going somewhere."

Yang stuck her tongue out at Weiss. "Bleh. Fine, mom."

"Ugh." Weiss groaned, looking towards Ruby as she leaned over and poked Blake's back. "Ruby, it's rude to just poke people."

Blake tensed up at that and turned around, being greeted by a friendly face. "Sorry, Weiss. Anyways, hey, how do you know my sister? She's never mentioned a girl with a bow before."

"We literally met not even twenty minutes ago." Blake answered, doing her best to avoid looking at Weiss.

"Ohhhh, so that's what Yang met about meeting new people. Well, I'm her sister, Ruby." The rose girl greeted, finding it much easier to talk to people than she originally worried about.

Yang playfully rolled her eyes. "Didn't think it was that hard to grasp the concept of meeting new people, sis." Her sister pouted a bit, and Weiss chuckled as she walked over to Blake, who immediately grew more tense and tried to turn away.

Weiss was a bit confused by that and spoke up. "Um, hello. Is something wrong?"

"No." Blake answered, not giving the girl anymore than that one word.

"Okay?" Weiss felt Yang grab her shoulder.

The blonde decided to cover for Blake and whispered. "She's a little shy. Only reason she said anything to Ruby was because she poked her, and I know you don't wanna do that. So just give her some space, kay?"

Weiss glanced over at Blake for a moment, but decided to not argue and nodded, getting a smile from her blonde friend as everyone in the main hall grew quiet when the blonde professor, Glynda Goodwitch got up on the podium and said to stay silent for the headmaster to speak.

* * *

 **More introductions here, so not too much, but it is set up for things later on. Hope that's okay. Anyways, got not much else to say here.**

 **To JJ- Willow has been one of my favorites to write in this story, and while she'll be very different in canon, I'm happy to write her in a way you and others enjoy. Glad you like how Blake is too, and yes, Cardin deserved worse, but can't let them get detention that quick. Haha.**

 **To GoldElite245- So the pairings actually happen when I write the chapters. Meaning I don't choose them from the beginning for this story. I let the story flow and however I write it, I choose the pairing based on how it goes.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 12. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 13.**


	13. Your Trigger

**Here's chapter 13, everyone.**

* * *

Ozpin took center stage, looking down at the first year students he was in charge of. He tapped the mic for just a moment, testing it as the students remained quiet. "I'll be sure to make this quick. You're all here for your own reasons, and no matter what they are, the end goal is the same." He noticed some people started looking nervous, as if their own reasons were not as noble as others. "I'm here to tell you now that this is not the school to throw your goals out and expect them to be met so easily."

Weiss scowled at that, feeling that he shouldn't say something like that, but she stayed quiet as she didn't want to be disrespectful, while Ruby looked more determined from his words. She didn't miss that look, and it made Weiss think a bit more about what the headmaster was saying.

"If what I say intimidates you, it's to find what you yourself can handle. To gauge yourselves in the face of impossible odds. Ask yourselves if you can break through such walls, and if the answer is yes, then stay where you are. If it is no…" He said nothing else and stepped away from the mic, some of the students beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable, but as they began to talk amongst each other, Glynda got up on the mic.

"You're all to report to the ballroom tonight. Tomorrow will be initiation, so don't be late." Glynda said as she stepped away from the mic.

"Huh, that was… Something." Yang remarked. "I feel like the headmaster could've been a bit more motivating."

"He was actually." Ruby stated, getting odd looks from both Jaune and Yang, while Weiss partially got what she was going for. "It's true what he said. If we're not here trying to break through the walls that keep us from being hunters, then why are we here in the first place?"

Yang was taken aback. "I didn't really think of it that way."

"Yeah, me neither. It just felt like he was just trying to scare us off." Jaune said, admitting what he thought.

Weiss spoke up. "Some might have been, but it's possible he was seeing if there were any here who wouldn't be the best fit for a hunter academy."

Jaune looked a little nervous. "O-Oh, uh, yeah… Good thing we all stood still, right?"

Yang nodded and pumped her fist up. "Hell yeah. I'd say we passed the first test of this place if that were the case. Next up is initiation… Which we have to wait till tomorrow for… Ugh."

"Your impatience is showing." Weiss noted, earning a sigh from the blonde girl.

Ruby looked over at Blake, who still had her back turned. "What did you think of what Ozpin said… Uh… Oh, I never got your name." When Blake didn't respond, Ruby was about to try and poke her again, but Weiss grabbed her hand.

"What did I just say about poking people, Ruby?" Weiss said in a stern tone.

"S-Sorry, I was just trying to learn what her name is." Ruby defended.

"My name is Blake." Blake chose not to hide that, as she began to walk off. "I'll be very busy from this point on. Yang, I'll speak with you later." Since the blonde girl didn't try to stop her, the others didn't as well.

"Uh… So she seems nice." Ruby said, making Yang sigh.

* * *

"Come on, Weiss! You have to show us your semblance already!" Ruby whined as she, her sister and Weiss were sitting on sleeping bags on the ballroom floor. "I mean, I know the whole Schnee glyph thing, but you never show us it."

"Maybe because I never have to, Ruby." Weiss said as she brushed her hair, keeping it down since she was getting ready for bed. "Besides, we're in the ballroom right now, so no, I will not use my semblance for no reason." She still didn't want to tell her friends that her semblance wasn't what they thought it was.

"Weiss is right, sis. You don't want one student using their semblance and then having a whole bunch of them feel like it's fine to use theirs." Yang pointed out as she laid on her stomach.

Ruby grumbled a bit and laid on her back, looking up at the ceiling. "Alright, fine. I won't ask you to use it here... But you so have to use it during initiation."

"And why should I, Ruby Rose? What if I feel like I can handle initiation without my semblance?" Weiss questioned, clearly still unsure if she would use her 'semblance' during initiation or not.

Yang raised an eyebrow. "That's a little risky don't you think, Weiss?"

Ruby grew a little concerned from that. "Y-Yeah, why wouldn't you? Weiss I don't want you to get hurt if you-."

"Ugh, will you please stop. I'm not a baby, Ruby." Weiss said, annoyed that her friends keep trying to treat her like she was fragile, even though that wasn't their intention.

Yang sat up and crossed her legs. "Hey, come on now, Weiss. You know she's only a little worried is all. If I said I wasn't gonna use my semblance, I know Ruby would try to convince me to otherwise."

Weiss took a moment to look over her rose themed friend, seeing her looking down at the ground, so she sighed and leaned over, gently nudging her shoulder. Ruby lifted her head up and saw Weiss giving her a small smile. "Look, I promise not to be reckless out there, Ruby, but at the same time, please don't worry so much about me. You said it yourself. Ozpin expects us to break through our own walls, so I need to be strong in my own way too."

"Y-You are strong." Ruby said, and felt a little saddened, but Weiss wouldn't let her stay sad for long as she pulled her in for a hug. "W-Weiss?"

The white haired teen sighed and pulled away, leaning her hand over and flicking Ruby's forehead, making her yelp. "Dolt. Stop being so sad about this. We're about to start our first day of huntress training tomorrow."

As Ruby rubbed her forehead, she couldn't help but smile as she nodded to her friend. "R-Right!"

Yang was glad she didn't need to step in, as Weiss was able to handle Ruby on her own. The blonde however started to think about another person, so she looked around and spotted her. "Alright, you two. This time I'm telling you beforehand." She stood up and pointed her thumb over at Blake. "I'm gonna go and chat with Blake. That okay with you, mom?" She joked as she looked down at Weiss.

Weiss rolled her eyes at that. "Oh shut up and go already."

Yang chuckled and walked over to Blake. "So, about that book recommendation." Her words startled the black haired girl, her bow twitching a bit, but Yang somehow didn't catch that. "What? Didn't think you'd see me again?"

Blake closed her book and placed it next to her. "I did tell you'd we could talk later." She was in her nightwear at the moment, seeing as everyone else was for sleep.

"Well you never really looked for me to talk. Trying to avoid me or something?" Yang asked as she sat down next to Blake. "Or is it still about Weiss?" She kept her voice low enough so other people wouldn't hear.

With a sigh, Blake picked up her book again. "If that's all you're here to talk about-."

"It's just something I want to help with, but if you seriously don't wanna talk about it, we don't have to. Still, I really wouldn't mind hearing what kind of book you'd recommend me. Just no lovey dovey stuff okay." Yang smiled as she looked down at Blake's book. "Actually, what about that one?"

"I'm still in the middle of reading it." Blake plainly responded.

"Okay, well how about you tell me what it's about?" Yang requested.

"Oh, um, well it's about a man with two souls, both fighting for control over their shared body." Blake explained. "Some people find it boring, but I enjoy it. It has a sense of what we all have in us. A fight to stay who we are."

"Wow, I mean… That's actually really interesting to be honest." Yang looked down at her own hands for a moment. "I like fighting, but I also really like going out into the world and seeing what it has to offer." She sighed. "Sometimes, I don't know. Maybe the fight in me isn't as strong as other people because I'm not all that interesting as a person."

Blake was truly surprised at her words. "I don't see why you would really say that. Everyone has their own mystery, whether they have it in them or not. Shouldn't you aim to learn that yourself instead of accepting it as nothing?"

Yang shrugged. "I don't really think I can answer that right now."

"Then it is a mystery still, so you already answered my question." Blake stated, earning a surprised look from the blonde.

"Huh… Yeah I guess that makes a bit of sense." Yang laid on her back and reached her hands up, like she were trying to touch the ceiling. "Thanks, Blake. Seriously."

Blake said nothing and went back to reading her book, as Yang smiled and closed her eyes, deciding the silence was just fine for her at that point.

* * *

Willow was panting heavily, looking up at the moon only making her sigh a bit. "How… Much longer… Do we have to keep this up?" The white haired woman asked as she was standing outside of a log cabin in the snow.

"When I don't have to bring you in for a glass of water each time you use one single glyph." Raven responded with her arms crossed and her eyes trained on the woman who had on a light blue winter coat, baggy pants and white winter boots. "And next time bring actual combat gear. I swear it looks like you're going to a damn ski lodge."

"Ugh, well what do you expect me to have? I've never trained before and you know this." Willow grunted, clearly having used a glyph only moments ago.

"Being prepared is a key part in training, so no I will not be giving you any gear. That falls on you." Raven did say she wasn't going to go easy on the woman, so Willow shook her head and ignored her, doing her best to concentrate on her aura. When Raven saw it slightly flicker, she sighed. "Well it's still a start."

Willow continued to ignore her comments, focusing more and more on her aura. She imagined it surrounding her body, but all it ever did was flicker here and there, not even on her whole body. The white haired woman took a few breaths, shaking her head as thoughts of her children filled her mind, so the drive was there.

Raven let her arms fall when she saw the aura that could only flicker on Willow begin to surround her entire body. The color of it was a light blue, showing Raven she was finally getting somewhere after their long day of aura training. "Well I'll be damned."

After a few moments of her aura pulsing around her body, Willow fell on her knees as the visible aura she was vibrating disappeared and she panted heavily. "I… I did it… Right?"

She was met with an eye roll as Raven walked over and lifted her up by her arm. "Not for long… But yes, you did. Don't expect praise though. You have a long way to go still." She helped the tired woman into the log cabin. "Sit."

Willow didn't argue and sat down on one of the chairs as Raven helped her out of her coat. "Sorry if I fail to impress…" Willow said as she closed her eyes.

"Ugh, don't complain and just drink this." Raven handed her a glass of water, and once Willow opened her eyes again to see it, she nodded and took it in her hand. As the woman began drinking, Raven sat on the other chair in the cabin. "Did you feel anything different from the other times you tried using your aura?"

"I-I don't think so?" Willow questioned herself as she moved the glass away from her lips. "It just felt the same as I have been feeling."

"Okay, well what about your thoughts? Anything that came to mind when your aura was around your body?" Raven continued asking.

Willow took a second to recount what had just happened. It wasn't hard for her to know what she was thinking about, more who she was thinking about. "All day I was just trying to get my semblance to not tire me out. That last attempt… It wasn't about my semblance. I thought about my children."

Raven crossed her arms again, nodding. "I see. Thinking about your children is your trigger."

"My trigger?" Willow gave her a confused look.

"It's not a special word or anything. It's literally what it is." Raven explained. "What I mean is that thinking about your children gives you the strength you need."

"Is that… Good?" Her knowledge of training was very limited, so Willow had no idea if that was a thing she should be proud of.

Raven didn't answer immediately as she looked at the fireplace, watching the wood burn. "It depends. Some people will say it's a good thing. Others will say it's not. Having to rely on your trigger can get you the strength you need, but if it's the only source of your power, then those reserves will end up depleting much faster than you think."

"So I shouldn't only rely on it is what you're saying." Willow assumed.

"Remember what I said. People have their opinions on the matter, but it all depends on how you choose to use it." Raven stated. "So ask yourself. Is this the only way you feel is appropriate for you to access your aura?"

Willow looked down at her hands, feeling them shake a bit as she sighed. "No, I don't believe so. It wouldn't be right to use my children in such a way."

"I never said you were using your children." Raven pointed out.

"I know, but it feels that way to me. You did say people have varied opinions on the matter, and that's how I feel now." Willow explained and lifted her head up, nodding to her trainer.

Raven was a bit impressed by how she responded. "Hmm, okay then. Well if you're up to figuring out how else you can access your aura, then get up, put your coat on and meet me outside."

Willow groaned a bit as she slowly got out of the chair she was sitting on. "Yeah, yeah…" She heard her scroll go off and saw the disapproving look Raven gave her, but when she saw who it was, she picked up the scroll. "Please just give me a few minutes."

"Fine." Raven stepped outside, letting the cold air of Atlas in, but only for a moment as she closed the door behind her.

After a few seconds, Willow let out a smile and sat on the bed in the cabin. She hit accept on the call and held her scroll horizontally, seeing the screen light up and showing her daughter on screen. "Hello, my snowflake."

Weiss smiled back. "Hello, mom. I'm in the ballroom right now since it seems initiation won't be till tomorrow." She held her wolf pendant with her left hand as she heard a snore from Ruby, so she giggled a bit. "Ruby fell asleep if you couldn't hear."

Willow chuckled in response. "I can't blame her, it is eleven in the night, sweetie."

"True." Weiss replied, but noticed the background of where her mother was. "Mom, where are you? Are you in a log cabin?"

"O-Oh, uh, well yes, sweetie. I just felt it would be nice to spend a few days on a mini vacation." Willow didn't want to tell her daughter yet that she was training her aura, since she didn't want to worry her daughter.

"Why didn't you tell me you were going to be in such a place, mom?" Weiss asked.

Willow kept her smile up as she waved her daughter off. "Don't worry so much, sweetie. I'm just taking a few days to relax. Nothing more."

"Hmm… Okay, well are you at least with someone? I don't like the idea of you being alone in a log cabin, mom." Weiss expressed her concern.

"Yes, I'm with a friend right now, snowflake. Now enough about that. How has your day gone? Tell me everything." Willow requested.

"Well… The first person I ran into wasn't exactly all that nice, but Ruby and Yang ran him off. The second one threw up in a trash can…" Weiss grimaced, remembering how gross it was to watch Jaune throwing up. "Other than that I was quite impressed with Beacon. It's beautiful here, mom."

Hearing how happy her daughter was made Willow think about her aura again, but she let that though slip away, wanting to hear more about her day. "I do remember going there myself a few months ago to see where you would be staying, so I can see why you find it to be beautiful."

Weiss nodded happily. "It truly is, and the speech Ozpin made…" She thought about the wording for it. "It was a bit unexpected, but Ruby helped me understand what he meant."

"What do you mean, sweetie?" Willow inquired.

"The way he spoke seemed a bit like he was putting us down, but thinking about it more, he was trying to gauge us. To see if we'd try and quit, or keep on pushing forward." Weiss explained.

"Ah, well I know my little snowflake will keep on moving." Willow said with a proud smile, chuckling as she saw Weiss blush a bit.

"M-Mom, you know people might hear you…" Weiss said, looking around to make sure no one actually heard what her mother had said to her.

"No one there will ever keep me from you being my little snowflake, sweetie." When Weiss groaned, Willow brushed some of her matted hair from her forehead. "But, I'll keep the nicknames out from the public if you really want."

"I-I didn't say that." Weiss sighed and held her pendant for a moment. "Um, I wanted to talk about something…" She lowered her voice a bit. "Ruby wants me to use my semblance."

Willow already knew the problem. "I know you're worried about using it, sweetie, but don't be. It's your semblance. Your gift. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

"M-Mom, you say you know… But you should realize how embarrassing it is." Weiss said, her blush growing redder.

She felt bad, but Willow had to keep on trying to convince her daughter it wasn't all that bad. "There are people out there who have much worse problems with their semblances, sweetie. You will grow out of that worry. I promise."

"Hmm… I highly doubt it. Only reason I ever felt okay about it at home was because you or Klein would hold onto my clothes for me. Do you know how embarrassing it'll be having to ask my teammates to hold my clothes each time we're in a battle…" Weiss countered.

"Well if you have a very respecting team, they'll understand, snowflake. It's why they call it a team effort." Willow countered back.

Weiss sighed and knew her mother had a point. "Okay… Well I guess it's about time I get to bed, mom. I'll make sure to call you tomorrow after initiation."

"I can't wait to hear how it goes, snowflake." Willow blew a kiss to her daughter. "Goodnight, sweetie. I love you."

"Goodnight, mom. I love you too." With that, the video call with her daughter ended and Willow felt a bit more relieved that her daughter had a good first day, so she stood up and stretched.

"Willow, hurry the hell up!" Raven shouted from outside, making the white haired woman yelp as she quickly hurried outside, glad the call ended when it did so Weiss didn't hear Raven yelling at her.

* * *

 **Switching POVs is honestly really fun, and I hope that when I do switch them around, it doesn't interrupt the flow of things. Anyways, more Willow and Raven training, and more getting things started at Beacon. We'll get to initiation soon enough.**

 **To JJ- Blake has had it rough, and while it's unfair to lump one person up with her family (mostly lumping her with her dad), she still won't simply be happy around a Schnee when the name has been tainted that badly, but still, she will at least try. Thanks to Yang that is.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 13. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 14.**


	14. Time To Go

**Here's chapter 14, everyone.**

* * *

Holding Myrtenaster in her left hand, Weiss took a breath and pointed it forward, feeling the breeze against her skin as her eyes were shut. "Focus." She said to herself as she waited for the right moment. Moments later, her eyes opened and the white haired teen swung her blade down, the wind dust in her weapon going off as it sliced through the air, hitting the tree in front of her.

After a few moments, the branch she specifically aimed for split in half and the part not connected to the tree fell to the ground.

Weiss smiled at that, securing her weapon on her hip. "The right moment." She said to herself, thinking about her dust training and how wind dust worked well when used at an appropriate time in correlation to the natural wind speed.

"Not bad, ice wolf." Yang's voice startled the white haired teen as she turned around to see the blonde and Ruby walking over to her. "Getting some practice in before initiation?"

"Well yes, but you know it would be nice not to sneak up on someone like that." Weiss grumbled.

"I did say something before walking over y'know. Heck, I could've just tapped you on the shoulder and you'd have freaked out even more." Yang pointed out with a grin.

"Ugh, yeah, yeah. So are you two actually going to practice a bit before we get started, or not?" Weiss asked, sighing a bit at a good breeze that hit her.

"Nah, we wanna save our strength for initiation. And besides, I'm not really sure they'd let us in the training hall till later." Yang answered.

Weiss shrugged. "I'm out here training, so I don't see why you two would need to have a training hall for that."

"Not saying we do. Just pointing out that I prefer hitting combat dummies myself." Yang explained, but she continued after a few seconds. "Still, I get why you're fine with it out here."

"You do?" Weiss raised an eyebrow.

Ruby chuckled. "Well duh she gets it, Weiss. You love being outside."

Weiss blushed a little and rubbed the back of her head. "I suppose so, yes, but how does that correlate with how I train?"

"Everyone has their own training regiment, ice wolf." Yang remarked as she walked over and sat on the grass, patting both spots next to her for her sister and friend to sit. "I do practice outside sometimes myself, but I like having something that can hit back, and with Beacon I'm pretty sure they have courses for that stuff."

Ruby and Weiss sat on both sides of the blonde, as the white haired huntress in training hummed a little. "Control is a word I tend to think about sometimes…" She trailed off, not letting them know she thought about it much more than just sometimes.

"Hmm?" Ruby looked over her sister at her friend. "How come?"

Weiss pulled Myrtenaster from its resting place and laid it on the grass in front of her. "Patience. It falls in line with control, right? Don't answer that by the way." She sighed and after her friends let her take her time on continuing, she spoke again. "Sometimes I think about the patience of control, to wait for the right moment to strike, or to even say something, but what if someone can't wait, Ruby? What if you have to move without knowing it?"

Ruby thought about her words, and as they rang through her head, she had something in mind to say. "Well that just shows growth, at least I think so. Sure, by the book is helpful, but you can't plot out every move when you're in a fight. It's like trying to be a supercomputer."

Weiss chuckled a bit at the comparison. "Yeah, that sounds about right." She looked down at Myrtenaster. "I'd like to find a middle ground for it myself. Being patient, but also being able to fight based on my instincts."

Yang reached over and rubbed her shoulder. "Has anything been bothering you about this recently?" When Weiss shook her head, Yang sighed. "Are you sure?"

"I honestly am, Yang. I guess it's just being here has made me understand some things more, but made me question even more than I thought I knew as well." Weiss explained.

"Huh, you know I had a similar conversation last night with Blake." Yang said as she leaned back and looked up at the clouds. "I don't think it's fair to ask ourselves so much though… At least that's how I feel."

"Not fair? What do you mean?" Weiss inquired.

Yang kept her eyes locked onto the clouds as she let out a small smile. "We just got to Beacon yesterday. I doubt we'll get any of the answers we want for some time, so instead of bombarding ourselves with unanswerable questions, we should take in where we're at. We made it, Weiss!" Yang exclaimed as she lifted her arms up. "Beacon Academy! We've talked about it for years, and we're actually here!"

Weiss blinked a few times, realizing that Yang was right, so she let out a smile of her own. "Beacon… It really has been some time since all three of us spoke about this place." She gripped some grass and watched as it flew off when a gust of wind blew by. She watched the grass strands fly towards the forest, her next step. "It almost feels like a dream and I'll wake up back home…"

As she continued to look forward, Ruby grinned and slowly snuck behind her, leaning her hand over to pinch the white haired teen's arm, making her yelp in pain. "Hehe. Not a dream, Weiss."

Weiss growled a bit, turning around to glare at Ruby. "You dolt, I'm gonna freeze you to the ground so you'll miss initiation for that one!" As she was getting up, Ruby gasped and started running off, so Weiss gave chase. "Get back here!"

"Ahhhhhhhh! Yang stop her! I don't wanna miss initiation!" Ruby cried out for help as her sister started to laugh while watching the two.

"You're on your own for this one, sis!" Yang called out, sighing happily to herself as she turned back around, looking towards the Emerald Forest, though something in the back of her mind made her frown.

" _I wonder if she still remembers I was gonna be out here today…"_

* * *

Willow gasped when she felt Raven shaking her in her sleep. "W-What?" She groaned and sat up, looking around to see she was still in the cabin. "Huh? W-When did I fall asleep?"

"You collapsed last night on your last attempt." Raven said, getting into her line of sight. The black haired huntress was holding a cup of water. "Drink."

"I collapsed?" Willow asked as she accepted the cup and took a sip.

"That's what I said, yes." Raven said as she walked over to the table in the cabin, picking up what looked to be a dust crystal. "I told you overexerting yourself was a bad idea, but you just wouldn't listen."

Willow looked away, muttering a bit under her breath. "You're the one who said this wouldn't be easy…"

"I heard that, smartass, and I didn't say you had to go and knock yourself out either." Raven reminded as she threw Willow her coat. "Put that on and meet me outside." She walked out of the cabin, letting some of the cold air in again.

"Can't a woman have five minutes to wake up…" Willow complained as she began putting her coat and pants on. Once she finished up tieing her boots, she looked out the window, seeing Raven setting up some wood outside. "A campfire?"

As she stepped outside, Raven looked over, sighing at her attire. "Come on over and sit on one of the logs."

Willow didn't complain that time as she took a seat on one of them, silently groaning at how uncomfortable it felt. "I thought I was just trying to learn how to control my aura, not learn survival training."

"Good, you caught on to what this is." Raven noted. "It's not that different from learning control of your aura. If you toughen yourself up a bit more, it could help you not feel so strained when you try using your aura."

"Maybe, but I still don't see why we're taking this day by day in different courses." Willow grumbled a bit.

"Because I know if Summer tried training you, she'd be way too soft. You still want to keep yourself safe so your kids won't lose a mother, right?" Raven played that card, though she felt a little bad about it, it was Willow's current trigger.

"I-I…" Willow groaned. "That's not exactly fair to use on me."

"No, but people out there won't play fair. They'll play for keeps, Willow." Raven reminded. "So just take my advice and learn the basics. It'll help you more than you know."

"I'm not a child, Raven. I understand what synergy means." Willow commented.

Raven smirked. "If that's right then you won't complain anymore about what I put you through. It's only day two and setting up a basic campfire to use for food shouldn't be all that hard for you. I mean, unless being in that manor all day has kept you too soft."

Willow growled in anger. "Just get the fire started."

"Nuh uh." Raven tossed her the red dust crystal she grabbed from the table. "That's your job, and don't worry, there's plenty of snow around here to get the flames off if you end up burning yourself."

Hearing that made Willow tense up. "E-Excuse me?"

Raven grinned. "Like I said, you need to learn. So figure out how to use that crystal and start making that fire. I'm hungry after all and I don't feel like waiting more than thirty minutes." With another groan, Willow started to get to work on it, while Raven leaned against the walls of the cabin, keeping a close eye on the white haired woman.

* * *

Blake walked down one of the many halls of Beacon, sighing to herself as she still limped a bit. It was annoying her, but she knew that she'd have to deal with it for just a bit longer. After turning a corner though, she saw a few students talking with each other. A few of them asking what initiation would be like, while others talked about how they were nervous.

The black haired girl shook her head _. "Being nervous now? Ugh, why come here if you won't face your battles head on?"_ She stopped herself for a moment. It hit her on what she had just said in her head, so she sighed to herself. " _What am I even saying…"_

Her right leg felt like it was about to lose balance, so she leaned against a wall and clenched her fist. She'd never show it, but the pain she felt wasn't really physical. The message behind it was what truly hurt her.

" _How long can I keep this up for…"_

"Hey, Blake." Yang's voice ran through Blake's ears, making her turn to see the blonde walking over. "You feeling okay? Kinda leaning up against that wall at a weird angle."

"I-I'm fine." Blake responded, straightening herself up.

Yang looked down to see her right leg twitch a little, so she frowned. "You didn't go to the nurse?"

Blake glared at her and crossed her arms. "I thought you said you wouldn't pester me about that."

"I mean… Yeah, but initiation is about to start." Yang said in a concerned tone. "That's not the best way to-."

"Don't start. I'm serious." Blake said as she took a step forward, getting right in Yang's face. "I'm not here looking for the easy way out."

Yang backed up a bit, taking in how serious the black haired girl looked, so she rubbed the back of her blonde mane. "S-Sorry. Do you… want me to go?"

It took a few moments for Blake to calm down, but when she was, she sighed to herself and shook her head. "I… I just don't want people bothering me about this."

"And I know I promised, but I've been the only one who has asked you about it… At least I think I have been." Yang remarked.

"Even so, the monsters out there can't do much to us. I mean, if you're caught off guard, maybe, but the Emerald Forest is a lot more tame than people make it out to be." Blake stated.

"Uh, I don't know about that. I heard it's gotten a bit more dangerous in the past couple of years, which is why they changed the way initiation goes." Yang explained.

"Well I still don't think I'll have that much of a problem." Blake stated with not so much confidence, but more so denial on needing help.

Yang heard the speaker turn on and listened in. "All first year students in section 1A, report to the cliffs immediately."

"Huh, I'm in 1A. You?" Yang asked as she looked back down at the black haired girl, who simply nodded to answer. "Awesome, well come on then." She offered her hand to Blake, who looked at the offer, but she turned around and started walking, making Yang groan as she walked behind her, keeping up the pace.

* * *

Ruby was shivering a bit as she had pieces of ice still stuck to her combat attire, sneezing a bit as she pouted. "I can't believe you actually froze me…"

"Oh stop whining. It was just a little cold air." Weiss said as she and Ruby were standing side by side on the platforms that were set up on the cliff. "Now hold still." She held Myrtenaster out and kept it next to Ruby, turning to dust chamber on it to the fire crystal. The blade began emitting some warmth that melted the rest of the ice off of the rose girl. "There, all better."

After a few more seconds of feeling the heat of the dust crystal, Ruby rubbed her nose and shook her head. "Woo, that felt kinda nice."

"Well maybe I should freeze you more often so you'd need my portable heater." Weiss smirked at her friend, who yelped at her suggestion.

"N-No way!" Ruby yelled, but gasped when Glynda shushed her.

"If you're all done talking," Glynda said as she glared at Ruby, but turned her attention back to all of the students there. "It's time to begin initiation."

Ozpin was standing next to her, so he spoke up next. "To explain, you'll all enter the Emerald Forest. In it are beasts that will not wait on you, nor will they care for who you are. In their eyes, you are prey, so do not hesitate, or you will die." Some of the students gulped, and Ozpin continued. "Some of you have voiced your concern about the changes made to initiation in recent years." He took a breath. "I'll say this, teams will still be constructed properly here, meaning the first person you make eye contact with in the forest, is who you will be partnered up with for the next four years."

Silence took over for a few moments, as the wind blew passed the students. Ruby blinked a few times, finally taking in what the headmaster had said. "WHAT?!"

Her concern was ignored and Ozpin spoke again. "Your objective is to find the relics placed in the forest. Bring it back here and you will pass. If you cannot within the next five hours, you will fail."

One of the students raised their hand, showing it was Jaune. "Um, sir. What happens if we fail?"

"You will not be attending this school." Ozpin bluntly answered, making him slowly lower his hand as he gulped.

"Oh…" Jaune looked nervous, but he was startled when he felt someone holding his shoulder. He turned to see a scarlet haired girl. "Uh… Yes?"

"Don't worry. I'm sure they give us more than enough time to get the relics and make it back." The girl smiled, trying to assure the boy that he'd be fine.

Jaune was still nervous, but he took a breath and mentally told himself to just fight it out. "R-Right. Okay, sure…" He raised his hand again. "Um, sir, are we just going to be walking in or-."

"You will be falling." Ozpin cut him off, taking a sip of his coffee before speaking with Glynda about something. Once the professor nodded, she took her leave per request of the headmaster to prep the other students who will be taking the night course of initiation.

"Falling?" Jaune looked down at the platform he was on, while the girl he was talking to was preparing her spear as she got in a battle stance.

The blonde haired boy looked back and forth between the students there and noticed they were all getting in their own stance. His eyes widened and as soon as he realized what was about to happen, all of the students were launched from their platforms into the forest, with the boy screaming on the way out.

Weiss looked over to her right as she soared in the air, seeing Jaune tumbling away, so she sighed and shook her head. "I hope he lands in a tree for his sake." She focused back on her own decent, swapping over to wind dust as she smirked and caught herself on top of a mini tornado that slowed her decent till she landed on the ground. "Okay… Time to go."

* * *

 **So I don't wanna just skip initiation, since there are things that happen in it. Important details that obviously can't be ignored, and this version of initiation will be slightly different with what and how they fight.**

 **To JJ- Ruby is one that I feel can understand what it means to be a huntress the best, so yeah, I had her being the one to say it. With Yang, I wrote her in other stories as always fun loving, but for this story, she has that, but also a mature side, so I'm glad you could see that too.**

 **To Lionheart- It's not about carrying clothes. It's about the change after. To her, it's embarrassing to have to change into her clothes each time she becomes a wolf, since, well, y'know, she's naked after changing back.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 14. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 15.**


	15. Survival

**Here's chapter 15, everyone.**

* * *

"There!" Willow exclaimed and scooted away from the fire she managed to make. Raven walked over, grumbling a bit as she felt hungry. "I don't really feel like that was too hard after all." The white haired woman said proudly.

Raven groaned in response. "It took you two hours… I've been hungry…"

Willow could hear the black haired woman's stomach growling, so she blushed in embarrassment at how long it took. "O-Oh, then why didn't you just use the dust yourself?!"

"It's a lesson, you idiot." Raven held her stomach. "Ugh, still, I'm not waiting on you to make the food. Just sit there. I'll be right back." She headed into the cabin, while Willow sighed and looked at the small fire in front of her.

Even though she was able to use dust, she still kicked some snow to the side in annoyance. "Has it really been two hours…" She sighed to herself, wishing she could do more, but she couldn't blame herself. She was a mother first, not a dust user or aura enthusiast.

As Raven walked over with a stick and some fish, she sat on the other log and placed them over the fire. "Look, kitchen appliances manage to use dust faster than you, Willow. And you're literally in the family that refines it. Why was that so hard?"

"I-I don't know… I never really thought about using dust all that much. And you can't say anything about machines. Dust is already built into them." Willow defended.

"Even so, it's just concentration. And knowing you, I feel like that would be the easy part." Raven commented.

"Can you not blame me here, please? You said it yourself. This is just my second day learning this sort of stuff." Willow stated.

"Is it though? I know you helped your daughter train before too." Raven reminded.

Willow rolled her eyes. "My daughter trained on her own, Raven. I only ever helped her with setting up training dummies."

"You still have first hand experience seeing how it's done, Willow." Raven folded her hands and crossed her leg over the other. "Is there something you avoid with this or what?"

"Huh? No, I don't try to avoid any of this. I just never felt like I needed to use my aura or dust." Willow answered honestly.

"Hmm, okay then. So just not interested or have you felt comfortable with how your life is?" Raven asked, watching the fish to make sure they didn't burn.

"Comfortable? No… Not really. For my kids, I was happy to give them a home and food on the table. As well as support their goals… But for me, Jacques could never make me feel comfortable with my life." Willow sadly answered.

Raven closed her eyes, shaking her head. "I won't pester about it, but look, what would make you comfortable? If the only reason to keep on going with that place was your kids, which now two of them are out of the house, what else would you do?"

"Whitley still needs me, Raven. And not only that… But I don't have a clue on what else I can do." Willow said, looking at the flames. "Dust plays a large part in my family, that much is obvious, but I never felt the need to hold it."

"Well not everyone in the world is a hunter, so it does make sense. Yet here you are, only with the thought of your kids driving you. Do you get what I'm saying?" Raven asked.

Willow thought about it for a moment, but nothing was coming up. Moments passed, but it hit her. It wasn't what Raven just said, it's what she told her the night before. "My trigger…"

"Bingo. I'm not trying to rush you on it. Just reminding you about what drives you is all." Raven stated.

"I still don't know whether I should be thanking you or kicking snow at you with how you teach, Raven Branwen." Willow said as she scowled at the other woman.

Raven shrugged. "Do whichever you want. I'm not here to give you all the answers, Willow."

Willow looked down and nodded in response. "I know that." She lifted her head back up, looking serious for the moment. "May I ask you something?" With a nod from Raven, Willow spoke again. "What's your drive?"

"Hmm, I was wondering when you'd ask." Raven unsheathed her blade, "Some people would be afraid seeing me unsheath this. Glad you aren't one of them." She said as she placed the blade on the snow. "Think about my sword. What does that tell you?"

"It's… A weapon?" Willow seemed confused, but the unimpressed look on Raven's face made her sigh and look at the blade again. "Well, you use it to fight, so it's what gives you the strength?"

"Not really. I can hold any old blade and cut down monsters." Raven grabbed her sword from the snow and stood up, holding it out at Willow, who backed away a bit. "If I made you hold this, you wouldn't know the first thing to do with it."

Willow rolled her eyes, doing her best not to swear. "Well that much is obvious. Your point?"

"Is that this is my drive." Raven said as she held her blade out horizontally. "Some people will try and show off, saying they can handle anything thrown at them. Idiots like that get killed, so what can you do to not end up like them?"

"Learn to not showboat?" Willow guessed.

"Not the answer I was looking for, but that's part of it." Raven planted her blade in the snow. "Survival. It's the word to use, your lifeline, the key to your survival. At the moment, your lifeline is your trigger."

"I… Don't follow." Willow said honestly.

Raven sighed. "What made your aura stronger. It was your trigger, and in turn, your lifeline. It's what would keep you alive. This sword is not my lifeline, but what I do with it is."

Willow was starting to get a grasp of what she was saying. "Which is why you said if I held it, I wouldn't be able to do anything with it, or even consider it a lifeline?"

"There you go." Raven smirked. "Finally getting it." She sat back down on the log. "I don't expect you to find a weapon, but think about it and come back to me when you have the answer."

"Huh? Wait, a weapon? No, I can't get into that. Aura training is barely something I can handle already." Willow reminded.

Raven sheathed her blade. "I know, which is why I said think about it first. I'm not forcing you to have one, Willow. It's just an option to have a new lifeline."

Willow sniffled at the cold air. "Alright." She said nothing else, deeply thinking about what she should do next. It wasn't just a question though. It was to accept or deny an offer. "When will this fish be ready…"

* * *

"Ugh, stupid leaves." Ruby complained as she brushed her outfit of stray leaves that stuck to her. "Hmm, good all gone." She took Crescent Rose out and smirked. "Alright, Crescent Rose, we need to find you your first target."

The rose themed girl hoped no one was around to hear her talking to her weapon. She walked around the forest, keeping an eye and ear out for anything or anyone that could be around her. When she heard a bush rustling, she aimed at it after swapping Crescent Rose to its sniper form, but when all that ran from the bush was a squirrel, she sighed disappointingly.

"Lame…" Ruby kept on her path, wondering if the relics were scattered around the forest, or if they were placed in one spot. "There's gotta be something out here to-." She yelped and jumped back when she saw a pair of claws pounce at her.

Two blue and black tiger like creatures were now in front of the girl, both growling at her as their stripes pulsed, making Ruby aware of what they were.

"Taaras? Ugh, too easy." Ruby swapped Crescent Rose to its scythe form and prepared herself for a fight. Once she saw one of them jump at her, she dodged to the left, keeping an eye on the second one who slammed its front paws down, causing a lightning surge to coat the ground, so when Ruby saw she was about to land on it, she quickly swapped her weapon to sniper mode and shot at the ground, propelling herself up as she landed on a branch, keeping her balance well. "Phew, almost got me there."

The one that first jumped at her clawed at the tree, sending electricity up it, but it didn't seem to go through the tree itself. It merely bounced up to reach the girl, so she jumped over to another tree and took a shot at one of the beasts, hitting one of its stripes and successfully making it discharge electricity on itself, so Ruby smirked.

"Number one weakness." Ruby jumped down, swapping back to scythe form for her weapon as she watched the one she shot fall to the ground. "Can't imagine you'll be as hard to deal with." She said to the second one, who growled and swatted its tail up, acting as a conductor when it focused its lightning through its entire tail.

Ruby gasped as she knew that attack would paralyze her completely, so she tried to rush it before it could get the attack off, not remembering to keep an eye out for the first Taara. It took the chance and weakly slammed its paws on the ground, coating the ground in electricity as soon as Ruby got close.

The rose girl gasped as she was shocked by the ground, falling forward as she was now about fifteen feet away from the Taaras. "Uh oh…" The second Taara reared its tail back and was about to launch the attack, but as it shot out the lightning, an ice wall was formed between it and Ruby, making the scythe wielder gasp.

"I swear, not five minutes in and I already have to save you, Ruby Rose." The voice Ruby heard made her perk up in joy as she turned to see her white haired friend, standing right next to her and offering her hand to get up. "Are you okay?" Weiss asked as Ruby took her hand and stood up.

"Hehe. Yup! I may have forgotten about the other Taara." Ruby chuckled as she rubbed the back of her head.

With a loud growl, Weiss turned her attention to the ice wall that broke apart after a few seconds. "Didn't last as long as I hoped." The white haired teen noticed that both Taaras were up again, so she held her rapier out, ready to fight.

Ruby got Crescent Rose ready as well, making sure to focus more. "We can take em, partner."

Weiss realized then and there that it was true. She saw Ruby first, making them partners, so she grinned and nodded. "Right." When the injured Taara roared, a wave of arc pulse energy shot towards the two girls, making them back up a bit as the shockwave partially electrocuted the two.

Luckily their auras protected them enough and the other Taara ran at them, using the chance to get them while they were stunned. Ruby didn't let it finish the attack though, as she accessed her semblance and quickly dashed forward, swinging her scythe at the beast. Silence. The Taara stopped moving for just a few seconds as blood sprayed from the side it was slashed, making it fall to the ground.

Weiss noticed it wasn't breathing, confirming the kill, so she focused her attention on the other Taara, who had enough time to charge up its tail attack. When she saw it was targeting Ruby, she gasped and tried to bring up another ice wall, but was shocked when it turned to her and shot its lightning, hitting the white haired teen in her right shoulder, making her cry out as she fell on her back. "Ugh…" She couldn't move her right arm, so she did her best to stand, finding that the attack was spreading through her body and making it that much harder to move.

Ruby didn't waste time and dashed over with her semblance again, getting between both the Taara and her partner. "Weiss, are you okay?!" Her concern was obvious, and the white haired teen groaned.

"I-I will be… Just cover me for one minute for the paralysis to wear off." Weiss held her shoulder, doing her best to focus her aura on the spot she was hit so the paralysis would wear off a bit faster.

The Taara limped a bit since it was still injured from the previous shot it took from Ruby's sniper. "I should be able to take it down, but… No, I'll keep you covered." Ruby didn't want to risk the Taara finding an opening to attack her downed friend, so she kept her guard up, watching as the Taara was about to attempt another ground attack, so Ruby swapped to a gravity dust round, taking a shot at the ground under it.

With her gravity dust in affect, the Taara was partially lifted up off the ground and growled as it did its best to spin around, creating a lighting dome around it for protection. Ruby bit her lip, knowing she wasn't going to be able to break through the dome, but when she heard another groan, she turned to see Weiss slowly getting back up.

"D-Did it wear off?" Ruby asked in a worried tone.

"N-Not completely, but I can move enough." Weiss clenched Myrtenaster tight as she looked to Ruby. "Can you still keep it in the air?"

"I should be able to… Wait, I have an idea. Why don't you create an ice spike under it? It should be enough force to break right through the dome." Ruby suggested.

Weiss took a breath, rubbing her shoulder as she nodded and swapped the dust chamber to ice. "Easy enough." She did her best to get close, but knew the Taara could still attack her, so she took one more breath, running right at it and sliding underneath the electric dome, sliding the tip of Myrtenaster against the dirt under the Taara. It was enough to form an ice spike that shot up in zero point two seconds, going right through both the dome, and the Taara.

Ruby watched as the electric dome died down on the Taara was dead. She sighed to herself and watched the ice spike shatter, so the Taara's body fell to the ground, blood pooling around it as Ruby ran over to where Weiss slid. "Hey, is the paralysis still… You know, affecting you?" She asked when she knelt next to her partner.

"A little bit…" Weiss groaned and did her best to sit up. She rubbed her shoulder and looked over Ruby's shoulder, seeing she was able to kill the other Taara. "I guess we both have earned one kill each."

Ruby chuckled a bit and gave her a big grin. "Yup! We'll wait a few more minutes for you to be fully mobile again."

Weiss nodded, but made sure not to drop her guard. "I wasn't expecting our first fight to be with Taaras to be honest. But we did it, so I can't complain."

"Heck yeah we did!" Ruby exclaimed, but then she thought about something. "Wait, how come you didn't use your semblance, Weiss? A-Are you still not wanting to?"

The white haired teen blushed. "I-I just felt we were able to handle it without exerting too much energy is all. You know it requires aura to use our semblances after all…"

Ruby frowned in response. "But you got hurt."

Weiss sighed. "Ruby, it's nothing. Seriously."

"It's not nothing, Weiss. If it hit you say in the chest, you'd be paralyzed all over your body… I-I would hate seeing that happen to you… I hate seeing this happen to you." Ruby said as she reached over and rubbed her partner's injured shoulder, trying to ease her pain.

It made Weiss blush a bit more, but she shook her head. "I'm just trying not to make any wrong decisions, Ruby. It just caught me off guard because I thought it was aiming at you."

"Well… Okay, but please don't feel like you shouldn't use your semblance. Glyphs can be really really helpful." Ruby said, not knowing what Weiss' true 'semblance' really was.

"Um, yeah… Right." Weiss moved her arm around, feeling that she had full mobility of it again. "I think the paralysis is dealt with. Come on, help me up so we can find that relic."

Ruby nodded and lifted Weiss up by her arm, making sure to see if her friend had any difficulty standing. When she saw she didn't, Ruby felt a bit more relieved for Weiss' wellbeing and smiled. "Okay! Where to next, partner?"

Weiss looked to the right, and to the left, feeling a bit confused herself. "I… Don't really know to be honest… Maybe that way?" She pointed to her right, but Ruby chuckled. "W-What?"

"That's the direction we were launched from." Ruby grinned, making Weiss blush in embarrassment. "Hehe. Don't worry. I'll lead the way!" She took Weiss' hand and the white haired teen yelped when Ruby ran off with her in hand, not hearing her partner's complaints to let her go.

* * *

 **Sorry this is a little late. My computer wasn't being nice to me. Anyways, I have new types of Grimm here. They're named later on. As in why they have these attacks.**

 **To JJ- Tough teach Raven is fun to write, and Willow is making more progress, so yay on that. Gonna keep this one short since my computer is still being rude to me.**

 **To Lionheart- Haha. Well that does get dealt with. So your question will be answered in that regard when it happens.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 15. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 16.**


	16. Good News

**Here's chapter 16, everyone.**

* * *

"Missed me!" A girl with orange hair yelled as she swung her hammer into the Taara she was fighting, easily dodging the beast as her swing was powered up by the Taara's lightning to the point where her swing shattered the beast's bones and killed it when it hit against the rock wall. "Just wasn't a good match up for ya."

"Nora… Could you please wait up for me for once…" A boy with black hair and one pink strand in it said as he panted while finally catching up with his friend.

"Hehe." Nora chuckled. "Sorry, Ren, but I was just clearing this spot out. Finish off the others?"

Ren nodded, reloading his guns as he looked over at the Taara Nora killed. "Is that what you call… Clearing out?" He asked, clearly with sarcasm in his voice.

Nora stuck her tongue out at the boy in green, but before she said anything else, Ren noticed something and quickly pushed her to the side, making the swing of a Singe's attack miss. "Whoa! A Singe?! Here?!" Nora was positively shocked by seeing that kind of monster.

The twelve foot high red furred gorilla in front of them looked intimidating, as the fire emitting from its arms and back grew stronger. "Keep your aura up even more than usual. You know how strong their fire can get." Ren warned as he was prepared to dodge any attack the beast had ready for them.

"This should be a better challenge than those Taaras." Nora grinned, clearly not satisfied with the easy fight she just had.

"Only because they're the worst match up for you. Don't keep your guard down with this one though." Ren kept his eyes trained on the Singe, watching as it smashed a tree down, confusing the two partners, but their eyes widened when it grabbed it with both arms, lighting it on fire and taking a swing at the two.

Ren jumped back, narrowly dodging the flaming lumber, while Nora decided to try and swing at the tree, taking it on with her hammer, but the force of the the Singe's swing overpowered the girl, since her semblance's powered up state lost its charge.

Nora was sent flying passed her partner, who gasped when he saw her sliding against the dirt. He had no time to check on her though, since he saw the Singe turn around, showing its back to them as a large blast of flames shot out from it, so the boy in green had dodged again, but the Singe moved so the flames would follow him,

As he kept running to keep the flames away, he ducked behind a large rock, watching as fire was shot around him, but luckily the rock was enough cover. He looked over at Nora, seeing her slowly getting up and looking annoyed.

"Nora, don't-." He couldn't finish his sentence as the girl swapped her hammer to its grenade launcher form, firing her lightning canisters at it, effectively shocking the Singe and making it huff in anger.

Angering a Singe was the last thing you wanted to do, as its entire body was engulfed in flames, making Nora gulp a little. "Whoops."

Ren had to think fast as he watched the Singe roaring, causing a small firestorm to go straight for Nora. He looked at the rock he hid behind and swapped ammo. Once he was ready, he jumped back and aimed his guns at the rock. "Nora, run!" Ren yelled out to her as the orange haired girl did her best to dodge the firestorm, but unlucky for her she got hit in the arm, making her gasp in pain as she got behind Ren. "Are you okay?"

"A little burned… Got any ideas?" Nora asked as she held her arm that was partially burned.

"Lightning. Get ready to charge yourself with it, and I hope you know what to do with the rest." Ren said to her as Nora spotted the kind of ammo he was using.

She grinned in response and nodded as she got out some lightning dust from her pocket, using it slightly to shock herself as the Singe continued shooting more fireballs at them. "Ready!" She swapped her weapon to its hammer form and prepared herself.

Ren nodded and began shooting at the large rock, making it float up a bit, but he continued to fire to keep it floating. The Singe looked at it, confused by the floating rock, giving Nora enough time to swing her hammer at it, sending the large rock flying right at the Singe and trapping it between the rock and a tree that was behind it.

"Did we get it?" Nora asked as she looked over her friend's shoulder, seeing the rock smashed against the Singe. "Oh… Yeah I think we got it." She grinned and put her hammer on her back. "Smart thinking on that rock idea!"

Ren sighed and dusted himself off, but after a second went by, he turned to her and examined her arm. "Your aura." He pointed out, reminding her to focus on it so it could heal the burn.

"Oh, right." Nora chuckled and focused on her aura, watching as the burn mark on her arm faded. "Gotta love pocket healing."

"You know using our aura to heal takes a good portion of it up, Nora. Please try to be more careful from this point on." Ren pleaded as he looked around the area, making sure they were safe. "It doesn't seem like we have anything else to deal with for now, so why don't we rest for a bit. Let your aura recharge some."

"What? Ugh, no way. I wanna find that relic and get back before the others." Nora whined, showing Ren her arm. "See. It's all fine now."

Ren sighed, facepalming at her tenacity. "Alright, but don't use any of your lightning dust. If we run into more Taaras, you can use your semblance, but no more than that."

"Yes!" Nora was pumped up and jumped for joy. "You won't regret it, trust me!" She got her hammer back out and started sprinting off without her friend, the boy sighing to himself as he followed her deeper into the forest.

* * *

"Feeling any better?" Raven asked the white haired woman who was eating her cooked fish, and the black haired huntress watched as she set the stick down and sighed. "Okay, I'll bite. What is it this time?"

"Have you spoken to Summer?" Willow asked, surprising Raven a bit.

Raven shrugged. "Not that long ago I guess. I don't really see why you're asking me though."

"I was just wondering if you spoke to her about Ruby and Yang going to Beacon," Raven tensed up a bit at the mention of her daughter. "I was just thinking of Weiss myself…" Willow explained.

"Uh, well we already talked about that. The kids are in school now. So?" Raven tried to play it off like she didn't feel it was all too important, and Willow caught on.

"We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." Willow assured as she took another bite of her fish. "I just thought it would be nice to have some small talk."

Holding her blade down on her lap, Raven looked down at it. "What can I really say? She's going to Beacon now. It's where she'll learn how to survive. It's where I learned after all."

"Like mother like daughter." Willow smiled, setting her stick down as she crossed her leg over the other. "What was it like going to a hunter academy? Being a student there I mean."

Raven lifted her head up, giving her a surprised look, like she wasn't expecting to be asked that. "Well, like a normal school… But with the studies of elemental monsters, and hacking them up into pieces."

"Is that right?" Willow was a bit intimidated by the hacking up into pieces part. "What about the dorms? Were they homely?"

"Depends on your preference. I never really cared all that much myself." Raven answered, and she felt her scroll vibrating, so she reached into her pocket and pulled it out to see who was calling her. "Speaking of Summer."

She tapped the screen and her friend appeared on it. "Raven! I just got the best news!" Summer exclaimed loud enough for Willow to hear. "You need to guess though. At least once."

Raven sighed. "Okay? Did you get another job or something?"

"Come on, make a better guess than that!" Summer whined, making Raven groan as Willow started to chuckle at her two friends.

"Ugh, fine." Raven thought about it for a moment. "Are you… Pregnant?"

Willow's eyes widened at that, but then she heard Summer beginning to laugh really loud, so she held her hand on her heart, taking a breath. "You two almost gave me a heart attack." The white haired woman said, Summer hearing her.

"Is Willow there?" Summer asked, clearly excited. "Tell her to come over and sit next to you."

Raven looked over at Willow, pointing at the log she was still sitting on, not saying a word. Willow sighed and walked over, sitting next to her trainer as she waved at the screen. "Hello, Summer."

"Hey, Willow." Summer grinned as she had her goggles over her head and some dirt smudged on her right cheek. "It's good that you're here too. I've got awesome news!"

"Oh I could tell seeing as you shouted so loud I would've been able to hear you from my own home at this point." Willow joked.

"Hehe. Well I think I have a right to be really excited for this, Willow." Summer sighed happily. "I was offered to work for Beacon as the school's blacksmith!"

"Really?!" Willow gasped happily at the news. "That's so great, Summer!"

Raven crossed her arms, looking unimpressed, but not at Summer. "Took that old fool long enough to hire you." She got a frown from Summer. "What? You know it's ridiculous at how long that man hasn't offered you that position."

"I don't think it's about how long it took, Raven. He knows that I wanted to be with my family… Our family." Summer stated.

"Stop. You had it right the first time, and I'm just saying that you could've been offered this years ago and not accept it. Recognizing is still respectable enough, but that man-." Before she could continue, Summer cut her off.

"Raven… Please stop." Summer pleaded. "I want you to come with me to Beacon. Please."

"Huh? Why do you want me to go?" Raven inquired.

"I was hoping to surprise the girls, and… I thought it would be nice for you to see Yang while we're there. Willow, I was gonna ask you to come too. What do you both say?" Summer asked, her smile returning.

Just the chance at seeing her snowflake again made Willow perk up, so she nodded immediately. "I would love to. When would you be going?"

Right as Summer was about to answer her, Raven spoke up. "Willow and I still have her aura training to do, Summer. Sorry."

"O-Oh…" Summer looked like a kicked puppy when she said that.

"W-What? No, we can take a few days off from it." Willow stated, trying to take the scroll from Raven, but the black haired huntress held her back. "Raven, I am not missing out on seeing my little girl."

Raven groaned and held her hand up to Willow to stop her from trying to get the scroll. "Look, it's not good to skip out on this stuff. You're the one who asked me for help, so-."

"It wouldn't be for two weeks…" Summer interrupted, making both women look at the screen. "I don't know if you'd let her take a small break from training in that time, but I just thought you should know when it is."

As she looked to Willow, she saw how much she was begging with her face, so Raven took a breath and nodded. "Alright, two weeks… From today?"

Summer shook her head, again, regaining her smile. "Two weeks from friday. I told Tai about it and he's happy for me, but I'm also only working on weekends there, since, y'know, I can't leave my workshop alone to gather dust."

"Hmm. Okay. Well I guess Willow will see you in two-." Raven was cut off again.

"You don't want to come… Do you?" Summer assumed, getting a sigh from Raven.

"She doesn't need distractions, Summer." Raven reasoned, but felt a tug on her arm from Willow. "What?" She asked the woman when she turned to her.

"If I can make more than one glyph without almost passing out before Summer has to go to Beacon, would you consider going?" Willow offered the deal.

Raven was taken aback by the proposal. "I-I don't know…"

"Come on. If I can get more than one glyph out in front of me, you can see your daughter." Willow reasoned.

Summer remained quiet, letting her friend handle it. After a few moments of considering, Raven shrugged and gave up. "Alright, you win, but only if you can hold up your end of the deal." She handed her the scroll. "You two talk about whatever you want. I need to get some rest." The black haired huntress got up and walked to the cabin, shutting the door behind her.

Willow rubbed the back of her head, looking at the screen with Summer smiling at her. "Uh… I'm not one hundred percent sure that was what I should've done."

"If it helps you feel better, I think it was." Summer replied.

"It kind of does." Willow said, but then her thoughts went to Weiss again, bringing her smile back. "I'm really glad you got this job, Summer, but… I won't lie, I'm very happy that you invited me to come along."

Summer gave her a thumbs up. "Like I'd leave one of my best friends behind. And I know how excited you are to see your daughter. In truth, I'm the same way."

Willow looked over at the cabin, wondering if Raven wanted to see Yang herself, or if she was purposely punishing herself for what happened in the past. "Yes… Well, I should probably get back to trying to use my aura better."

"Right. Good luck, Willow!" Summer waved her off and Willow returned it.

As the call ended, the white haired woman sighed to herself and walked inside the cabin for a moment. She looked over to see Raven sleeping on one of the beds, so she walked over and placed the scroll on the table next to her.

With that, she walked back outside, determined to get her semblance working in a better way than it has been. Finding there was another reason for her to achieve that goal.

* * *

 **More types of monsters to work with. It's mostly because during the time of writing this, I juggled the idea of new monsters, or just different Grimm. It'll be explained in later chapters. Though it isn't like a major plot point. Just a fun side idea I threw in.**

 **To Star- I can see what you mean. Honestly, I have pre-written a lot of this before I posted chapter 1. So looking back, yeah that would've been better. I appreciate the advice on that.**

 **To JJ- Teacher Raven is still really fun, and also there are going to be moments where even Raven herself will need to learn something. And there are more new Grimm to work with. Without spoiling her semblance reveal… You'll see soon enough.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 16. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 17.**


	17. Is That You?

**Here's chapter 17, everyone.**

* * *

Yang stretched a bit as she walked through the forest, keeping an eye out for anyone she could partner up with. "I swear if I end up with someone who can't handle themselves, I am so asking for a redo." Stepping on a twig made her look around, wondering if any beasts had heard her, so she prepared her gauntlets for a fight.

After a bit of waiting, she shrugged and realized there wasn't anything to fight, so she continued making her way to where she believed the relics were. Only problem for her though was the Sova, an owl like beast that was keeping a watch over her. It's jet black wings moved, annoyed by the sounds of gunfire and elemental attacks being thrown around.

It only took a few more moments of examining her with its bright red eyes to realize she was using weapons. It may not have been the ones that woke it up, but it was still something noisy nonetheless, so it opened it mouth and screeched, making Yang gasp and cover her ears in pain. "Ahhhh! What the hell?!" She looked over to the source of the screech and caught sight of the Sova. "Oh crap."

The blonde moved one of her hands down, aiming her gauntlet at it as she punched her arm forward, shooting out at it and hitting it directly in the face since it was still alerting other beasts to its location. As it fell to the ground, Yang sighed in relief and lowered her hands, feeling like she could hear again.

"Stupid owl thing." Yang grumbled, but she froze when she heard trampling in the distance. "Son of a-." She jumped away when she heard the trampling getting closer.

Out from behind the trees and bushes that blocked her vision was the fifteen foot ogre like creature. It's back laced with crystals, ice ones to be exact.

Yang smirked. "Fire versus ice? Man, you picked the wrong girl to mess with." She punched her fists together and the energy around her changed into fire, making the Aisuoga grunt in annoyance. "Huh, guess you ain't afraid of your weakness."

That didn't stop the blonde as she shot forward, ready to adjust when needed. The Aisuoga was never known for its brain power, so all it did was mindlessly swing down, missing the girl who dodged to the left, but she still had enough time to fire off a shot, hitting the Aisuoga in the ribcage, but it didn't look like it hurt it all that much.

"Right, durability is your thing. Funny when you got ice on your back." Yang said to the creature, watching as its ice crystals shined, meaning it was about to be used.

The blonde girl held her arms up, doing her best to block her face as ice shards from its back shot out like mortars, surprising the blonde who gasped and tried to position herself to block from the top. Even so, she didn't see the Aisuoga run in and punch her, sending the girl flying into a tree, cracking the wood behind her.

Yang coughed out, throwing her head back as she slowly got up, seeing the Aisuoga walking up to her, so her lilac eyes changed to its blood red tinge. "Huh… Okay then." She watched as the Aisuoga punched forward, so Yang caught its hand with her own, growling as she glared at the creature.

She managed to break its hand in her grip and the Aisuoga grunted in pain, pulling back and looking pissed off. It reached behind its back and pulled out the ice crystals that grew out of it, roaring up as it slammed them on the ground.

The blonde huntress in training was about to back away, but the pain in her back caused her to groan and almost fall over. Lucky for her she felt something wrapping around her waist, pulling her back far enough from the ice that was heading towards her. "Uh… What?" She turned around and looked up, her eyes widened as she saw her savior. "Oh… Fancy meeting you here."

Blake rolled her eyes and unwrapped her weapon from the blonde, looking towards the Aisuoga. "Talk later. We have something to deal with still."

"Well I can tell you his right hand is broken." Yang said as she got up, dusting herself off a bit. "Don't let him get a hit in though. Might be dumb, but he packs a hell of a right hook."

"I'm well aware." Blake began shooting some fire rounds at the Aisuoga, making it growl in anger as it held its arms up to shield itself. "What I'm doing now, can you keep up that same amount of fire?"

Yang reloaded her gauntlets and nodded. "Hell yeah. Though you mind telling me what you have planned?"

"Diversion tactics. They work well on this type of enemy. The kind that is dumb enough to let someone get behind them." Blake said, Yang glancing at her right leg for a moment.

"Uh, yeah sure." Yang readied herself, hoping her new partner would be okay with her limp.

Blake swapped her Gambol Shroud to its katana form and began running at the Aisuoga, shocking Yang since she expected her limp to slow her down, but the blonde shook her head and started firing at the creature, keeping its arms up to shield her incoming fire. It did however see Blake and tried to swat at her, but when she disappeared, it looked confused and had no idea that she got behind it.

The black haired huntress in training used the red dust in her weapon to heat the blade up, slashing at the nape of the Aisuoga's neck, causing it to roar in pain as it swung around to hit her, but Blake used her semblance again to leave behind a clone in her place that disappeared a moment later.

Blood spilled from the nape of the Aisuoga, but since it now held one hand over the spot where it was bleeding, Yang was able to hit it enough to begin overpowering it. The creature fell on its back as Blake slammed her blade down onto its heart.

With one final roar, the Aisuoga went limp and Blake pulled her blade out, sighing as she and Yang were able to kill the creature. "Man, that was great!" Yang exclaimed as she ran over, meeting Blake halfway. "Nice semblance by the way."

"It's not really all that impressive." Blake remarked, not caring for praise.

"Uh, well I think it is, but hey… How are you able to walk around so easily? And how you ran at that big guy," Blake tensed up and Yang rubbed the back of her head. "It seemed… I don't know, kinda-."

Blake turned around and crossed her arms. "I lied."

Yang looked confused as she lowered her arms. "Huh?"

"My limp… I lied, okay." Blake admitted, looking down at the dirt they were standing on. "Don't ask me why, just know I lied and that you don't need to pester me about it anymore." She turned around to leave, but felt Yang grab her shoulder. "Can we not do this right now?"

"If you just tell me why you were lying about that, then I'll drop it. Other than that, no, because we just became partners. Ones who have to be with each other for the next four years." Yang reminded.

Blake shook her off. "Well some things are too personal to talk about. Now unless you wish to be disrespectful about it, I'd suggest we get moving and find one of those relics."

Yang couldn't believe how she was acting. "Well yeah, we need to get the relics and all, but…" She stopped herself when thought about what Blake said. "Okay, okay, fine. Can we just pretend this whole limp thing didn't happen?"

It was the only out she had, so Blake stopped and turned around, nodding to the blonde. "Alright then."

Yang let out a small smile and caught up with her, turning the black haired girl around to where she was headed before. "Awesome. Oh, and by the way, I won't ask for a redo on my partner." She chuckled to herself as she walked ahead, leaving Blake slightly confused as she shrugged and followed the blonde.

* * *

Weiss pushed passed some leaves, but found it to not annoy her too much as she sighed happily, feeling the breeze. "You know, if this place wasn't filled with a bunch of monsters trying to kill us, it would be a nice place to come to every so often to just relax."

Ruby giggled a little. "I think so too. Hey, maybe if this place isn't as infested, we can come over again and-." She stopped when she heard someone yelling for help.

"Ugh! Get me down from here!" The voice sounded familiar to both Ruby and Weiss, so the pair ran over to the source of the cry of help, only to see their recently made blonde friend stuck to a tree by what looked to be a javelin.

"Jaune?" Ruby looked up, surprised to see her new friend up on a tree. "Uh, how did you get stuck up there?"

The blonde boy looked down, shocked to see the two of them. "Ruby! Ah, man, I don't know! I was falling out of the sky… And… Uh, not screaming in the slightest," Weiss rolled her eyes when he said that. "When I got hit by this spear. I don't know where the heck it came from!"

"Oh, I'm sorry! That would be my fault" A new voice startled the three, as the girl with scarlet red hair walked up in her finely crafted armor. "I saw you falling and thought you could use a bit of help landing. I hope I didn't hurt you."

"Uh… No, so not hurt, but… Can you maybe get me down?" Jaune asked the girl, getting a smirk in return from her as she nodded and climbed up the tree.

Both Ruby and Weiss gave each other confused looks, not knowing how to react. "So should we leave them to it?" Weiss asked her partner.

"I guess." Ruby looked up. "Jaune! Me and Weiss are gonna head out! Good luck with initiation!" She waved him off as the blonde boy groaned, wishing they hadn't seen him like that.

When the scarlet haired girl who wore it in a ponytail reached to where he was stuck, she smiled at him. "I believe since neither of us have seen any other student, that makes us partners."

"Oh… Yeah, that's how it works… Right?" He asked and got a nod from the girl. "Um, well if we're partners, I guess you should know. My name is Jaune Arc."

"Hello to you, Jaune. I'm Pyrrha Nikos." Pyrrha kept her smile up, feeling a happy presence around her new partner.

* * *

Weiss and Ruby got a good distance from the two, wondering if they'd be fine since they were the only other students they met up with. "Would it have been better if we grouped up?" Weiss inquired.

"Hmm, I don't know. I mean, we aren't technically on a four person team yet. Initiation is just two of us, so maybe they might look down on that or something." Ruby guessed.

"Oh, I didn't think about that." Weiss tightened her grip on Myrtenaster. "Um, Ruby, if I may, do you believe that the two of us are a good team?"

Ruby stopped for a moment, surprised Weiss would even ask that. "What? Of course I do! You saw how we beat those Taaras! It was our first real fight together and we kicked butt!"

Weiss rubbed her shoulder after swapping Myrtenaster to her other hand. "I got hurt though… I feel like-."

"Hey, don't do that. I'm the one who was super worried, but you told me you were okay and I still believe you!" Ruby said as she took Weiss' hand. "It was my fault for being an open target for you to worry about in the first place, but that's why we're a good team. We protected each other, Weiss."

The white haired teen couldn't deny that, so she let out a light blush. "You tend to know what to say a lot, Ruby Rose…"

Ruby grinned and nodded, pulling Weiss forward a bit. "I'm just good at staying positive. Sooo, wanna keep going this way, or should we maybe get on the trees for a better sight?"

"Well that could work." Weiss looked up at the tree top, but she thought about the disadvantages of it. "Actually, we might want to stick to the ground. We may get spotted by one of the flying creatures out there."

"Dang, well I-." Ruby gasped when she and Weiss were lifted off the ground by the strong current of the wind, but it wasn't the natural wind as they both fell on the ground, several feet from each other.

Ruby lifted her head to see a Strom, the grey wolf growling at the girl. Weiss' eyes widened when she saw it, so she gripped her pendant and felt frozen. Ruby however got up and brought her scythe with her, aiming it at the Strom when she swapped to sniper mode.

The fact that Stroms were wolflike creatures always made Weiss uneasy. "Weiss, come on! Get up!" Ruby called out to her partner when she noticed she wasn't trying to stand. Weiss gasped in response and got up, her grip on Myrtenaster a bit shaky.

It didn't take a genius to see that Weiss was shaking, which worried Ruby, but she couldn't afford to lose her focus on the Strom, so she took a quick shot at it, but the wolf creature used its power to create a wall of electricity in front of it, acting as a barrier.

"Shoot! These things have a few more elemental attacks than the basic creatures." Ruby kept fired, but none of her shots could penetrate the barrier. "Weiss, any ideas?" When she looked over at her partner, she could see the fear in her eyes. "W-Weiss? Weiss come on!"

Weiss gasped again and looked over at Ruby. "W-What?"

Before Ruby could say anything, the Strom howled and a lightning strike came down on Ruby, making her cry out in pain as she fell to the ground. Weiss' eyes widened as she saw her friend trembling on the ground, the electricity still coursing through her.

It was a new fear that hit her. The fear of losing someone she cared about, and as the Strom began to slowly walk towards Ruby on all fours, it left some lightning spots under it.

Weiss couldn't do it. She couldn't get her body to move as she watched Ruby continue to squirm in pain. Something broke in Weiss though, so she screamed in fear and began to use her 'semblance', not caring anymore about what she'd have to deal with because of it as a flash of light encompassed her body.

Ruby slowly opened her eyes, seeing where her white haired friend was, now stood a white wolf on all fours, growling with Myrtenaster in its teeth. The Strom turned to face the white wolf, growling at it in return.

"W-Weiss… Is… That you?" Ruby asked as her vision went black.

* * *

 **And now we can finally get into her using her semblance a lot more. Hope this chapter worked well with how I had her finally choosing to use it. And also, the new Grimm aren't just limited to animals. As seen in this chapter.  
**

 **To JJ- Willow is tough, and yeah, having to blackmail her in a sense was a bit much, but Raven needs a push. So technically it's good for both of them. And yeah, I felt like detailing Ren and Nora here makes sense instead of saying they're just gonna be there in the back.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 17. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 18.**


	18. To Protect

**Here's chapter 18, everyone.**

* * *

A strong wind and sparks of lightning surrounded the area the Strom walked in. Lucky for Ruby she was outside of the radius, though she was out cold. Just seeing her knocked out made Weiss growl in anger as she held her blade in her teeth as tight as she could.

" _How dare this creature hurt her!"_

Weiss dashed towards the Strom, using Myrtenaster as a conductor for her dust. The one she used was ice, keeping the wind back with her own blizzard that emitted from her blade. Another howl from the Strom however sent a lightning strike down, but Weiss jumped to the right, landing on all fours as she swung her blade horizontally, sending out fire that time.

Due to the howl, the barrier that the Strom had set up before wasn't out and the fire hit it, making to creature growl in pain, but that wasn't enough to take it down.

Weiss decided to not waste any time and spun around, sending a small tornado of fire at the wolf creature. Instead of letting it hit, the Strom summoned up a strong wind current, blowing the fire back.

With a growl, Weiss looked over at her downed friend, feeling angrier at that point. The Strom didn't care for emotions though, so it charged at Weiss, aiming to take down the other wolf. Weiss used her teeth to swap the chamber in Myrtenaster, getting it to earth dust. When she slashed in front of her, a stone wall appeared in front of her, keeping the Strom back so she could think of a way to deal with it.

" _What was it… I know of a way to keep their elemental attacks from being used."_

Her eyes widened when she remembered, so she reared up and jumped up as high as she could, landing on the top of the stone wall she made. Once she looked down at the Strom, it stared up at her with its dark black eyes, growling at her, so Weiss pounced at it, aiming for its tail.

The Strom tried to claw at her, which it managed to, cutting the white wolf on her side a bit, but she endured the pain as she sliced its tail right off, making it howl in pain, but that time no lightning was called down.

Weiss panted a bit in pain, as some of her blood dripped from the cut she received. While it did hurt, the white wolf did her best to continue to ignore the pain, watching the Strom slowly backing away.

" _You don't get to run for what you did to Ruby!"_

Weiss dropped Myrtenaster as she dashed at the wolf creature. It tried to swipe at her, but Weiss already pounced on it and bit into its neck, making the Strom cry out in pain as she bit harder, wanting it dead. After feeling it kick a few times, Weiss could tell when it went completely limp, it had been killed.

She slowly pushed herself off of the creature, tasting its blood on her lips as she gasped, realizing what she had done. Weiss spit up the blood of the Strom, shaking her head a bunch as she knew she must have blood on the front of her face too. "W-What did I do…" While she was afraid of what she had done, the white wolf remembered that her partner was still knocked out.

Dashing towards her downed partner, Weiss didn't care to remember to change back. When she looked down to inspect any damage, she gave a sigh of relief when she could tell she was breathing normally.

" _Thank goodness."_

Ruby started groaning as she felt something nudging her, so when she opened her eyes, she looked around, gasping when she met the face of a white wolf in front of her. "Gah! Don't eat me!"

Weiss' eyes widened when she realized that she forgot to change back. "W-Wait… R-Ruby, it's me." She blushed a bit, looking for something to clean the blood off of her. When she noticed a lake, she quickly ran to it. "O-One second." She dipped her snout into the water, doing her best to get the blood out before it could dry up.

It was shocking, truly and utterly shocking to Ruby that her friend's voice was coming out a white wolf, but then she remembered what she saw before blacking out. "I-It really is you." She slowly got up, holding her arm in pain since it still felt numb. "Weiss…"

As she walked over to the white wolf, she saw her tense up. Weiss took the moment to turn away from Ruby, hoping the blood on her mouth washed off. "I… I wanted to tell you… But I just couldn't."

Ruby took a few steps forward, reaching out to the white wolf. "Wait, so, this is your semblance? I thought… I thought your family's semblance was glyphs though." She placed her hand on Weiss' back, feeling that her fur was real.

Weiss blushed at the contact, not letting anyone besides her mother touch her fur. "M-My mom told me that semblances work with our personalities, and that I was able to break free of the hereditary semblance my family has had for years to grow into my own."

"Weiss," The white wolf braced herself for what she might say. "That is so cool!" Weiss looked confused, turning around to look at her partner.

"C-Cool? You don't think it's weird? I'm… I'm a wolf right now, Ruby." Weiss stated, while Ruby simply smiled at her.

"Well duh! You broke out of your family's semblance and have your own! Don't you know how awesome that is?! I mean… I've never even heard of a semblance like this, Weiss!" Ruby was overly excited, but she couldn't be blamed as the new information was too good to be true to her.

Weiss' tail actually swayed a bit, making Ruby giggle. "T-Thank you, Ruby… Um, are you doing okay? The lightning strike hit you pretty hard."

Ruby moved her arms around, nodding happily. "They were a little numb, but I'm gonna be fine. I'll let my aura fix me up a bit, but… We should probably rest a bit. Both of us have been electrocuted today after all."

"T-That is true." While Ruby was praising her before, she was still nervous about some things. "Should we rest here or find somewhere else?"

Looking around, Ruby couldn't hear or see anything around them. "Well, I think we should be fine. You never know though… Uh, how about we find a cave with a wall we can see?"

Weiss understood what she meant and nodded, walking next to Ruby, but she blushed heavily when she noticed her clothes in a pile where she had transformed.

"Hey, isn't that your… Clothes… Weiss…" Weiss' blush reddened and Ruby had begun to blush as well. "Wait, why is there another set of your clothes sitting there?" She knew she was lying to herself.

"Ruby… Could you please just grab those?" Weiss requested, looking away from her friend as she didn't want to have that discussion.

Instead of saying something, Ruby simply nodded and walked over, still blushing as she picked up Weiss' clothes. She did spot her partner's weapon too, so she went over and grabbed that as well, but she accidentally dropped the wolf pendant that was still on the pile of clothes. Luckily Weiss noticed and ran over, whimpering as she tried to pick it up.

"Huh?" Ruby heard her whimpering and saw the white wolf trying to pick up her pendant with her teeth. "Wait, I'll get it." She walked back over and leaned down, grabbing the necklace. "I'm sorry, Weiss. I didn't mean to drop it."

"I-It's okay. I saw a cave that way… We can check if it'll work as a resting spot." Weiss responded, but Ruby didn't move immediately. "Ruby, come on."

"Hold on." Ruby set Weiss' clothes down for a moment and knelt in front of the white wolf, making her blush a bit as Ruby wrapped the necklace around Weiss' neck, making her gasp. "There, now you won't lose it."

Weiss felt her heart racing, and she nodded a few times, not noticing her tail was swaying and the two partners made their way to the cave Weiss had spotted.

Once they got to it, Ruby made sure to look inside, seeing that it wasn't that deep of a cave, so they had no risk of something sneaking up on them. "Looks like this is a good one to sit in, Weiss." She called out to the white wolf.

A few moments passed and Weiss slowly walked in, making Ruby gasp when she finally noticed the cut on her friend. When she ran over, Weiss yelped and stopped walking towards her.

"Weiss, what happened?!" Ruby cried out, moving her hand over to where the cut was located. "D-Did that Strom do this to you?" When the white wolf whimpered and nodded to confirm her suspicions, Ruby bit her lip and almost teared up. "I wasn't able to help you."

"S-Stop it. Please. I don't want to go back and forth on who can protect who, Ruby… I just… I want some rest." Weiss pleaded, feeling her partner's palm pressed against her cut. "We have our aura…"

Ruby sniffled a bit. "But what if it breaks, Weiss… You won't be able to… Wait, why… Why didn't you have your aura?"

Weiss whimpered a bit when she felt Ruby putting a bit too much pressure on her wound, so she backed away a bit. "It's the amount I used when I tried healing the paralysis, then to top it off, my semblance uses a lot of my aura to transform."

"That was too much of a risk, Weiss!" Ruby expressed her concern, kneeling by the wolf to hug her, but Weiss backed away. "Weiss?"

"Ruby, I watched you get hit by a lightning bolt. That terrified me, and… I couldn't do anything without my semblance. I froze on the spot, Ruby!" Weiss yelled, shocking the girl. "And all because it was a Strom… A wolf…" She sniffled, wishing she could rewind the clock to shake herself out of the stasis of fear she had been trapped in.

It was heartbreaking to see her cry, so Ruby sat down and chose to instead of reach out to Weiss, she would wait for her. "Weiss, I don't think you were scared. It was just… Different. Something hard you had to face, but you did in the end. So be proud of that."

Weiss lifted her head up, looking at Ruby's open arms. It reminded her of her mom, and how anytime she'd be sad in her wolf form, she'd hold her arms out as wide as she could for the white wolf to nuzzle into. Slowly, the white wolf took a few steps forward, but after a moment, she sprinted onto Ruby and cried into her, as the rose girl fell on her back, gasping but still holding onto Weiss as best she could.

"I-I'm sorry for lying about my semblance… I'm sorry for freezing up like that… And I'm sorry I was reckless with my semblance and worrying you." Weiss said as she nuzzled into Ruby, who simply did her best to rub her fur, smiling a little as she let Weiss cry into her.

"Shh, it's okay, Weiss. You don't need to apologize anymore. I'm here." Ruby closed her eyes, slowly rubbing Weiss' fur some more as she felt the white wolf pull away. She stared up at her, still in awe that the wolf she was looking at was her friend. "Feel a little better?"

Weiss nodded, nuzzling Ruby's cheek a bit. Once she was a bit more calm, she backed away to let the girl sit up. "I hope… I hope I didn't ruin your outfit."

Ruby looked down to see the tear stains and chuckled. "No worries here, Weiss. Now come on and let's rest up. We still have plenty of time to find that relic, but your aura needs to recharge first."

The white wolf couldn't ignore that, so she nodded and walked over, laying down next to her partner. "Thank you, Ruby… For accepting what my semblance is, and for forgiving-."

"Weiss, I told you that you don't have to apologize for everything. There's nothing to forgive about." Ruby smiled and ran her hands through the white fur of the wolf, giggling a bit. "It's really soft."

"D-Don't say stuff like that." Weiss said in a flustered tone as her tail swayed on its own, enjoying the feeling.

Ruby was actually a little curious about something and moved her hand away. "Hey, how come you don't turn back, Weiss? I mean, if this is your semblance, how can you still be like this if your aura ran out?"

Weiss' ears perked up and she looked down at her paws. "It's… Confusing to me too, Ruby. Aura let's us use our semblances, so at first I thought I'd revert back to normal. The first time it happened… I don't know, I sort of freaked out and thought I was stuck like this."

"So you eventually turned back?" Ruby asked, intrigued even more than she thought she'd be.

With a nod, Weiss thought back to when it first happened. "My mom had to keep me calm that day, and she told me that once my aura recharged, I'd be able to change back. She wasn't lying either." Weiss smiled. "After some time, my aura was back up and I just focused on my semblance to turn me back."

"Ohhhh. I think I get it. It's like your semblance is the ability to let you change, so if your aura is out of reserves, then you can't go back to the other form." Ruby assumed.

"Yes, something like that, but… It's still odd to me. I'm not a wolf, Ruby… Well I mean I am right now, but… Ugh, this is so confusing. I just wanna rest and get my aura back up." The white wolf lowered her head and closed her eyes.

The cut on the white wolf had stopped bleeding, but even so, Ruby still frowned at it. A thought came across her mind though as she slowly took her cloak off and draped it over the white wolf, who was still deep in slumber to react, except for a slight sniffle she made when she moved a bit in her sleep. When she saw her cloak was covering up the cut enough, Ruby felt relieved.

After a few moments, Ruby looked out at the cave entrance, making sure nothing would walk inside to try and attack them. She did smile when she heard Weiss snoring a bit, so she rubbed her fur some more, giggling quietly when she saw her tail slowly swaying. "Hehe. Sleep well, Weiss."

* * *

Willow was taking a few short breaths, watching them appear in front of her from the cold. It wasn't as easy to train without Raven supporting her when she would end up almost passing out.

"Come on, Willow." She said to herself, panting a bit as she sat down on the log next to the campfire. "I hope my snowflake is doing okay…" Willow shook her head. "I shouldn't be so worried. I need to have faith in her." She got up and closed her eyes, focusing on her aura again.

At first it was still just flickering. It would've been easy for her to just think of her children and use that to call forth her aura, but she refused. It was the easy way out, and if she wanted to make more than one glyph without passing out within two weeks, she'd need to find another way to access her aura.

Unbeknownst to her though, Raven watched from inside the cabin, making sure Willow wouldn't be able to see her through the window by peeking around it. "What is that idiot doing… She shouldn't strain herself this much."

Willow wiped her nose, sighing as she only could get it to flicker still. When she felt her body betraying her though, she would stop and take a few breaths, relax and try again after waiting a few minutes, all while Raven watched her from inside of the cabin.

* * *

 **And finally, Ruby knows what Weiss' 'semblance' is. 18 chapters felt like a good bit of time for that, and I do like my slow burns, so be prepared for a long story, everyone. Maybe even as long as Snow Fox was.**

 **To JJ- I'm glad you like the Grimm here I've worked on making. And personally, I'm just a fan of RT, so I don't think I'd be involved in any of their things. Thanks for the vote of confidence though. Also, when Weiss changes, her clothes don't actually shred. It's not that she grows into a wolf, the light shines and pop, she's a wolf with clothes going off her.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 18. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 19.**


	19. Stubborn

**Here's chapter 19, everyone.**

* * *

"Oh! Look!" Yang pointed over at a few crumbled ruins, but when Blake noticed what she was pointing at, she was pleasantly surprised to see items on multiples pedestals. "If that doesn't scream relic, then I don't know what does."

Blake watched as the blonde jumped down from a ledge, landing on her feet as she followed close behind. Both girls walked up to the pedestals, looking around at the many items they assumed were the relics. "They're chess pieces."

"Huh, yeah would you look at that. I wonder why they chose chess pieces as the relics." Yang walked around the many pedestals, noticing none were missing. "Sweet, looks like we're the first ones here too."

"Does it really matter? The end goal is bringing them back to the cliffs in time. You don't get anything extra for being first." Blake remarked.

"Bragging rights, duh." When she spotted the knight piece, Yang grinned and grabbed it. "How about a cute pony?"

Blake shrugged and something about how Yang spoke and smiled made her return the smile. "Sure."

"Ey! You smiled!" Yang held her grin as she walked over, noticing the smile Blake had on morphed into a scowl. "And it's gone… Well, it was nice while it lasted."

Suddenly the two girls turned when they heard a yell in the distance, though it sounded more like a yell of excitement as they gasped, seeing a girl with orange hair riding a Taara. "Whooooo!" Nora exclaimed and the electricity that the Taara emitted didn't do much to her, only powering her up and making her more excited until its reserves depleted and it fell to the ground. "Awww, lame." She looked down at it. "Hey, are you dead?" When the blue on its back faded, she sighed. "Man, and here I was hoping I could tame one. Oh well." The girl hopped off its back and looked over at Blake and Yang. "Awwwwww! Nooooo! We weren't the first ones to reach the relics!"

Her whines made Blake and Yang confused, since not only did she ride in on a Taara, but she also seemed nonchalant about it. "Who is this girl?" Yang said to herself as she noticed a boy walking out from the bushes behind where the orange haired girl had popped out from.

"Nora… What did I tell you about overusing your… Semblance?" Ren asked, panting as he walked over to his partner, clearly looking annoyed with her.

"Well you said if we run into Taaras, that I could use it, soooo… I used it." Nora grinned.

"And we also talked about your aura…" Ren said as he crossed his arms, giving her a stern look that made her sigh.

"Come on, Ren! Don't be that way! We got to the relics after all." Nora said as she pointed towards where Blake and Yang were. "Buuuuuut, it looks like we only got the silver medal."

Ren shrugged and walked passed his friend, getting over to the other team of two. "It doesn't matter about that, Nora." He stopped when he got in front of the two. "Sorry if her entrance was a bit… Confusing."

"That's an understatement." Yang pointed out as Ren took note of the knight piece in her hand. The blonde caught his eye and shook the piece in front of him. "Yeah, looks like these are the relics Ozpin talked about."

Ren nodded, walking passed Yang for just a moment to grab one of the rook pieces. "I wasn't expecting to run into other students at the same time where they placed the relics to be honest."

Yang shrugged. "Timing is a wonderful thing." She placed the knight piece in one of her pockets. "So, you and your partner feel like teaming up to get back to the cliffs together? Would be a lot safer after all."

Blake raised an eyebrow. "I didn't think you'd like taking the safer route."

"Maybe not all the time, but I'm not an idiot either." Yang noted. "Our goal is to get these back… Though now that I think about it, I did bet my sister I'd have more kills by the end of initiation."

It was that comment that got Blake to roll her eyes, while Ren put his chess piece, or as they called it, a relic away as well. "I don't see why we shouldn't team up. It would prove useful and may show the teachers that we aren't trying to go against each other."

"Huh? Go against each other?" Yang looked a little confused by what he said.

"Some students tend to get too competitive about dealing with monsters. It gets to their heads." Ren remarked as Nora caught up with them.

"Sooo, did you get one of the relics?" Nora asked, waving to Blake and Yang, who both slowly waved back, not sure how to respond to the girl. Ren nodded, getting out the rook piece before Nora snatched it from his hands. "Ooooh! You chose the rook?!"

Ren sighed, again nodding to his friend. "It really isn't all that special, Nora. Now come on," He pulled his guns out. "We should all start going back to the cliffs. I know we have a lot more time, but remember what I said about letting the competition of monster killing go to your head."

Blake pulled Gambol Shroud out, silently agreeing with the boy. "It's smarter to not stick around." While she herself didn't doubt her abilities, she felt there wasn't any reason to take unnecessary risks either.

* * *

Ruby was sighing to herself as she continued to keep watch of the cave entrance, listening to her partner snoring still. "Hehe. I wonder if she only snores like this as a wolf." Her fingers brushed the white fur of her partner.

When she heard a lot shot ring out in the distance though, she instantly got up, holding her scythe out as she felt whoever took the shot wasn't very far.

Weiss heard the shot too and her ears perked up, lifting her head as she noticed Ruby was already standing up, weapon and all. "What was that?" When she got up, she noticed Ruby's cloak was on her, so she blushed a little and gently let it fall to the floor.

"Sounded like a rifle." Ruby said, not taking her eyes off of the cave entrance, while Weiss got up on her paws and walked over, getting next to Ruby. "Is your aura recharged?"

"I-I don't know." Weiss didn't want to try and use her 'semblance' to find out since she still had her clothes in a pile, and Ruby was still in the cave.

Ruby looked over her shoulder, noticing the clothes as well, so she blushed a bit. "Um, if you need to, I can leave the cave. I don't mind."

"Y-Yes, that would be appreciated…" Weiss said as she turned around to walk back to her clothes, not letting Ruby see the blush on her face as the scythe wielder walked outside, making sure not to look in so she could respect her friend's privacy.

Weiss got to her clothes and took a breath, feeling her aura as it wasn't actually fully recharged, so she gasped.

" _No… If I change back now I'll lose all of the aura that I just got back."_

She groaned in annoyance, calling out to Ruby. "Um, Ruby! Could you come back in here?!"

Ruby was a bit surprised by how fast she assumed Weiss had gotten ready, but when she walked in, she saw that her friend was still a wolf. "Huh? Weiss, what's wrong? Why didn't you change back?"

"My aura. It isn't charged as much as I hoped it would be." The white wolf explained. "If I change back, well… My aura could break and I'd be left defenseless."

That concerned Ruby, so she walked over to Weiss clothes. "Well if that's the case, let me hold onto your clothes for you."

"W-What? No, you don't have anywhere to put them." Ruby chuckled at how Weiss expressed that concern as she folded Weiss' clothes and put them over her cloak. "What are you doing?"

"Gonna hold them in my cloak, silly." Ruby wrapped her cloak around the folded up clothes. "It's like a bag now."

Weiss looked at the clothes filled cloak and raised an eyebrow. "Don't you still need to hold it up? I mean, how can you put that on your back?"

"I was going to leave them in a spot we can find later. Wrapping them in my cloak is to keep them from getting dirty." Ruby said with a smile.

"But… Your mom made that cloak for you, Ruby." Weiss reminded, feeling a little guilty.

Ruby couldn't help but kneel down in front of Weiss. Was she did, she placed her hand on Weiss' head, making the wolf tense up a bit. "I know she did, and I love my cloak a whole lot, but now that I know what you have to deal with when you use your semblance, I wanna be able to help in any way I can, so please let me, Weiss."

The gentle nature Ruby possessed always helped Weiss feel better, so the touch of her hand on the top of her head helped empower Ruby's words. "I-I suppose I can allow you to do this, but only this once! I'll be sure to bring something with me to make it easier to hold my clothes."

With a giggle, Ruby moved her hand away, not daring to pet the girl since she didn't see Weiss as an animal. "Right. I'll make sure to keep it hidden in a good spot so no monsters accidentally find it." She said while picking up the clothes filled cloak.

The white wolf let out a smile as she walked on all fours, looking over at the cave entrance when another shot rang out. "Should we… Maybe go see if anyone is in trouble?" Another two shots went off, so Weiss growled a little and ran over to Myrtenaster, grabbing it with her teeth.

Ruby was a little surprised she fought like that, but would ask questions later. "Let's go, partner." Ruby said with a determined tone, both running out of the cave as Ruby quickly scanned the area, finding a small hole in a wall, so she nudged the wolf. "Over here."

Weiss looked over, seeing the hole, so she nodded and Ruby walked over to it, dropping Myrtenaster for a moment to speak. "I'll do my best to remember this spot." The white wolf said, picking her weapon back up as they both took off, heading in the direction of where the shots came from.

* * *

"How much longer do you plan on tiring yourself out?" Raven asked the white haired woman as she finally stepped out of the cabin. When Willow turned to her, trying to regain her breath, she shook her head and turned back around. "Ugh."

"What I do with my own time is my business, right?" Willow challenged, determined to not let Raven stop her from training.

"Not when you're my responsibility. Summer isn't about to forgive me if she finds out you put yourself in the hospital on my watch." The black haired huntress stated as she walked over, taking Willow's arm in her hand. "Get back inside and rest. Overexerting yourself is one of the dumbest ways to train. You lose your concentration and anything you worked towards will be for nothing."

Willow declined by pulling away from the woman. "I've only been out here for a few hours and I've taken breaks. While you slept I'd go inside to get some water, and I kept by the fire for warmth." Raven was surprised. "I'm not a child, Raven, and while I may not know as much as you or Summer on this, I do know that I can take care of myself."

Raven took a step back, crossing her arms at her stubborn nature. "Is that right? Okay… If you think this is how you should handle it, I won't stop you." She turned away from the woman, expecting a reaction, but when she didn't hear a word, she glanced over her shoulder, her eyes widening when she saw Willow trying to conjure up her aura again.

" _Stubborn as hell… Well I guess I shouldn't be surprised, seeing as she's had to live with Jacques for this long."_

Willow kept her attention on her training, knowing Raven was still watching in some way, so she closed her eyes again. " _Weiss talked about her fan. It kept moving she, said."_

Even though it was Weiss she thought about, the trigger was not the same. Her aura began to move around her body, starting from her feet as it began climbing up her body. Raven held her gaze on the woman, watching as her aura was slowly reaching her stomach, but after seeing it slowing down, Willow gasped and started panting.

"Ugh…" Willow knelt down and held a hand to her chest, letting herself breathe.

"Now do you-." Raven stopped when Willow stood up and walked passed her and into the cabin. "Did she really just ignore me…" The huntress looked annoyed, but she watched through the window. Willow had gotten some water from the fridge kept inside and drank. Raven shook her head and leaned against the wall of the cabin, watching as she walked out. "You're not seriously about to try again so soon, right?"

Willow walked over, sitting on the log as she held her hands near the fire, letting the warmth of it keep her from getting too cold. "I told you that I can take care of myself as an adult, Raven. Just because I want to get this done doesn't mean I'm an idiot," She turned to give the huntress a serious look. "Even if you call me that so much."

"I call you that because you act like one." Raven commented as she walked over, sitting on the other log. "Is this about that deal? If it is-."

"You said we all have our own drives, our own triggers. Let me discover or choose my own." Willow said defiantly.

"If this is what you call a trigger-." Raven was cut off yet again.

"Whether it's a good one or not isn't up for you to decide, Raven. Now then," The white haired woman crossed her left leg over the other. "I am famished after the hours of training, and you had enough rest to get food started."

Raven eyed the woman, surprised she'd speak to her that way. "What? Am I your maid all of a sudden? I don't remember asking your husband for a job."

Willow rolled her eyes. "Like you would ever be able to handle that kind of life. You'd drop the first tray with tea and muffins in a matter of seconds."

"Wow, that sounds soooo terrible." Raven replied sarcastically.

"Mock me all you want, but there are things that even you can't do well, Raven Branwen." Willow responded as she dusted her pants off a bit.

Raven shrugged. "Never said I could, and I don't see your point here. Who would gloat about being good at servitude? It's the lowest form of-." She was cut off when Willow casted a glyph in her face, but regretted it since she fell back onto the snow. Raven groaned as she watched the glyph dissipate. "Now you see, that's why I call you an idiot." She got up and walked over to the other woman. "Get up." She grabbed her arm and lifted Willow back on her feet.

Willow's heart was racing and she bent down a bit to catch her breath. "Don't insult… What they do." She was mostly defending those at her home who respected her and her children, the obvious and more supportive being Klein.

"Struck a nerve… Noted." Raven said as she helped the other woman back into the cabin. "If you need to sleep-."

"I-I told you I was hungry, you dunce. So go... And make us… Some food." Willow demanded as she sat on the bed, doing her best to regain her breath.

Raven didn't feel like arguing, so she rolled her eyes and simply walked over to her food storage, pulling out whatever she could find. After the huntress went outside to cook up the food she had, Willow let out a small smile.

"I'll show you what kind of drive I can have, Raven Branwen." Willow said as she laid down on the bed, resting her body up before lunch was ready.

* * *

 **Willow is still pushing forward, and so are the students at Beacon. It's fun to swap over POVs, and with Willow, I get to mess around with her and Raven interacting. Always a fun time. Anyways, have people enjoyed their interactions? Willow and Raven to be exact.**

 **To JJ- Yes, the white rose grows, and with how her 'semblance' works at the moment, she spends a huge amount of her aura to use it. Percentage wise, it's near the high 30s. So more on that in later chapters.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 19. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 20.**


	20. Surprise

**Here's chapter 20, everyone.**

* * *

As Weiss and Ruby continued to run through the forest, hearing the rifle shots closer, they quickly observed the area, finding normal animals for once running off in fear. Weiss sniffed out any scent she could that would help them find whoever was fighting faster. "I think I have something."

Ruby nodded, not taking the time to question Weiss' senses as she followed the white wolf until they both reached where they needed to get to. "Pyrrha, what should I do?!" Jaune's voice was heard by the two partners, while Pyrrha jumped back from the Taara Alpha and Singe they were fighting.

"Whoa, a Singe! I've always wanted to fight one!" Ruby exclaimed as she brought her sniper up and aimed at it, while Jaune looked over, shocked to hear other people. "Hey, Jaune! Didn't think we'd run into you two again."

Pyrrha couldn't afford to look over as she held her shield up when the Singe shot out a fireball, successfully blocking the attack. "Jaune, be careful!" Pyrrha called out to him when she noticed the Taara Alpha was running at him, but before it could pounce, Ruby shot at it, sending it flying towards the Singe.

Jaune gasped when he saw the electricity on the Taara Alpha going off, making the Singe roar in pain as an Alpha's electricity was much stronger than a normal Taara. "Oh man…" The blonde boy ran over to Pyrrha, checking on his partner to make sure she was okay. "You're not hurt… Right?"

When she shook her head, Jaune sighed in relief, feeling guilty that he wasn't able to help yet. "Don't drop your guard though. They're only incapacitated for the moment."

When the blonde haired boy noticed them getting up, he gulped and looked over at Ruby, but gasped when he saw the white wolf. "Gah! Ruby, look out!" He said, pointing at the wolf, making Weiss nervous at how he reacted, but she yelped when she saw what happened next.

Pyrrha turned and quickly aimed at the white wolf, but Ruby instantly got in front of her and held her arms out. "Wait, don't! This isn't just a wolf! It's Weiss! My partner!"

Blinking a few times, Jaune looked down at the white wolf, getting a nod from her to confirm what Ruby had said. "W-What?!" Before anyone could explain anything else though, Pyrrha cried out in pain when the advice she gave to Jaune was ignored herself when she was hit by the paralysis shot from the Taara. "Pyrrha!" Jaune instinctively got in front of his downed partner, sword and shield in hand as he was faced by both the Taara Alpha and the Singe. "W-What do I do?"

Pyrrha was writhing on the ground in pain, so Ruby and Weiss quickly ran over, with Ruby holding Crescent Rose in scythe form, and Weiss holding Myrtenaster in her teeth.

"You fight, and make sure these monsters don't reach your partner." Ruby said, glaring at the Singe and Taara Alpha, hating how they had hurt a fellow student. "Remember what we said too about dust, Jaune. You can use it on your weapon."

The blonde huntsman in training couldn't deny that he was nervous, but then he realized something. "I-I don't really have dust on me." When the Singe roared, he yelped in fear, holding his shield up when a fireball shot at him.

Luckily as he said before, his shield was durable enough to hold the attack back, and Weiss quickly took the chance, running off to the right as she got the Singe's attention, while Ruby took another shot at the Taara Alpha, getting it to attack her.

Jaune felt like he couldn't do a thing and watched the two he had met when he first got onto Beacon fighting his battles. "Damn it…"

He heard Pyrrha weakly call out to him. "J-Jaune, I… Have dust… You can use…"

The boy gasped and knelt by his partner, looking as she couldn't move an inch. "Pyrrha! U-Um, maybe I can lift you up and-."

"N-No, I said… I have dust on me. Use… It. I won't be able to move…" Pyrrha explained, making the boy even more nervous for her, and when he turned to see Weiss slashing at the legs of the Singe, he saw it roar in pain, sending her back with a punch. "Weiss!" Jaune turned to face Ruby, seeing her having a tough time with the Alpha as it nearly clawed her, but the swipe sent four lines of electricity, hitting her and making her yell in pain. "Ruby! No, no, no… Pyrrha, what do I do with the dust?!"

Pyrrha couldn't respond as she had lost consciousness, making Jaune shake in fear, but when he saw his two, would he call them friends? To him, he said yes. His two friends panting from the hits they took, he slapped himself. " _Think! Think!"_ His eyes widened when he spotted a blue crystal, so he grabbed it and looked back and forth at the two battles. "Please be what I think this is." He chose to go to Weiss first, since he had no idea how well of a fighter she was as a wolf, calling out to her. "Weiss! Keep it distracted!"

The white wolf looked confused by that, but she had no time to question it, nodding as she spun around, sending a lightning tornado at the Singe, who took the hit, effectively keeping it on a short paralysis pause. While it was like that, Jaune tried to use the dust crystal, but found it not working. " _What is he waiting for?"_ Weiss thought to herself.

"C-Come on! Why isn't this thing doing anything?!" Jaune yelled as he started banging it against his sword. Weiss couldn't believe the boy was even in Beacon at that point, and she gasped when she saw the lightning tornado was beginning to fade.

She let go of Myrtenaster for a moment to warn him. "Jaune, get away! It's about to be freed! I can handle this!"

Hearing her say that made the boy freeze. He was ordered to just run, so he saw the white wolf pick her weapon back up. Still, he couldn't move and shook his head as he ran over, the lightning tornado still partially up. "Use this on him. I think it's water. I have a plan."

Weiss couldn't argue and dropped her weapon. "Press the button on the bottom. It'll open the chamber to swap out one of the crystals." The boy looked nervous, but when Weiss growled, he yelped and went to it, taking out one of the crystals and replacing it with the water one. He held out the weapon to her and Weiss took it in her teeth.

The lightning tornado had vanished completely, freeing the Singe as Jaune took a step back and Weiss quickly ran towards it, prepared to use the water dust. The Singe slammed its fists on the ground, sending spinning fire pillars at Weiss, but the wolf dodged some and swung her blade to send water at the others.

When she got close enough, Weiss sent a slicing water wave at the beast, coating it in water and putting its flames on its body out. Jaune nodded, looking over at Ruby who was doing her best to dodge swipes with her semblance, making sure not to dodge into the electricity again.

"I can't even get a shot in…" Ruby said, continued to dodge the furious Taara, but gasped when Jaune got in the middle of her and the Alpha.

His shield held up enough to keep the beast back, so he pushed it back and the Alpha growled, jumping away since it expected an attack. "Ruby, I don't know if you can't, but would you be able to launch that giant… Tiger lightning thing into that… Um, fire ape?"

"Do you not know their names?" Ruby gave him a questioning look, getting a sigh from the boy, so she shook her head and focused. "I did it before, so yes."

"Good. Weiss is coating it in water, so if I get his attention to use a lot of electricity, I want you to get it thrown into the… Whatever that ape thing is called." Jaune explained.

"Singe. And the tiger is called a Taara, though that one is an Alpha." Ruby said, looking over at the Taara who stared them down, ready to pounce when it needed to.

"R-Right. Well… Just try out my idea." Jaune said, bracing himself as he ran to the Taara Alpha, getting its attention, so it growled at the boy. Even though he was afraid, seeing how his friends were hurt seemed to get the boy to at least try. "U-Uh, you… Taara thing! Over here!" He shouted at it, trying to get in between the Taara Alpha and Singe, who was busy trying to grab Weiss as she was continuing to coat it in water, making it angry.

Ruby positioned herself behind the Alpha, preparing an earth dust shot to give it enough force. "I hope this works, Jaune."

After the Taara Alpha swiped at Jaune and the shield blocked not only the attack, but the electricity after it, the Alpha was angered, so it reared its tail up, preparing its attack. Ruby's heart was racing a bit, since if Jaune wasn't fast enough, he could end up like Pyrrha.

Once it was charged up completely, Ruby knew she didn't have another chance, so she took the shot and the strength of her round was amplified by the coating of rock added to it. It hit the Alpha directly and Jaune dove to the side, narrowly missing the Alpha as it was sent into the Singe, who had been completely coated in water at that point.

On contact, both the Taara Alpha and the Singe roared out, almost like they were screaming bloody mary from how amplified the shock was. Jaune examined them for a moment, both going still for a moment before falling on their sides. "D-Did we do it?"

Ruby fired two rounds, both hitting them in the head for a confirmed kill. "I would say so… Yeah. Good idea, Jaune." She smiled at the boy.

"Heh… Thanks, I… Wait, Pyrrha!" Jaune yelled and ran to his downed partner, who was still knocked out. Once he knelt by her, he gently lifted her up a bit. "W-What should we do to help her…"

Weiss walked over, dropping Myrtenaster from her teeth as she examined the scarlet haired girl. "There's a cave Ruby and I stayed in for safety, so we can bring her there till she wakes up."

Ruby nodded, kneeling next to Jaune and putting his hand on his shoulder. "It's our best bet, and I promise we'll keep watch over the entrance of the cave."

Jaune looked between his partner and Ruby for a few moments. "O-Okay." He wasted no more time and lifted Pyrrha up, as Ruby grabbed the scarlet girl's weapon.

After making their way to the cave, Weiss noticed the sun's location and whimpered a bit. "We still don't have a relic yet, Ruby."

After Jaune set Pyrrha down, Ruby looked equally as nervous. "Oh... Right."

"I'll go find the relics for us…" Jaune suddenly said, surprising the two.

"Um, what? What do you mean you'll go find the relics? Jaune, no offense, but… If you went off without Ruby or I, you won't make it to the relics." Weiss stated, though out of worry.

"What else can we do?" The huntsman in training questioned. "If we don't bring any relics back, we all fail and we'll end up getting kicked out of Beacon."

Weiss turned to look at Ruby, sighing to herself. "Would… Would you be okay if I went out and tried to find them?"

Ruby's worried a lot for Jaune, but for Weiss, it was near impossible to stop her heart from beating too fast. "N-No way. I can't let you go alone."

"That girl is hurt, Ruby." Weiss said, looking over at Pyrrha. "And you can keep her safe. With me, I can track any of these beasts well enough to steer clear of them."

"I-I still don't like this…" Ruby said, expressing her opinion as she saw Weiss sigh.

The white wolf let out a small smile. "I know… I'm sorry." She grabbed her weapon with her teeth and ran out of the cave, ignoring Ruby's cries for her to come back. " _I'll make it up to you, Ruby Rose."_

As Weiss was running through the forest, she tried to sniff around here and there, hoping her sense of smell was strong enough to tell where the beasts were. It wasn't a full lie, but Weiss had to say something to Ruby to get her to worry less about her.

Luckily for her she managed to not run into anything on her run, most likely because other students were probably distracting most of the other monsters in the forest. "Come on… Where are those damn things."

She stopped when she almost fell off a ledge, looking down it at the field below. In her sight was the ruins that held the pedestals of relic pieces. The white wolf cocked her head to the side, wondering if those were even the relics, so she jumped down and slowly approached.

" _They look like... Chess pieces?"_

As she got close enough, her eyes widened. She saw in the distance, four people were walking away from the ruins. She knew from the mane of yellow she saw that one of them was Yang, so she swayed her tail and ran towards them, dropping her weapon to call out to the blonde. "Yang!"

After hearing her name, the blonde huntress in training turned and yelped, seeing a white wolf running towards her. "Whoa! Did that thing talk?!" She exclaimed as she prepared to fire at Weiss, not knowing it was her.

Weiss yelped and stopped, backing away slightly to show she wasn't trying to attack anyone, while Blake, Nora and Ren had their weapons focused on her. "Y-Yang… It's me, Weiss…"

Yang blinked a few times, taking in what the talking wolf had said to her. "What?" She looked at the white fur and blue eyes, but still felt it was unbelievable, so she started to laugh. "Y-Yeah, sure you are. Oh man… Am I like, going crazy or something? Seriously, you guys don't hear this wolf talking, right?"

Blake was frozen on the spot, hearing the wolf call itself Weiss, while Nora looked confused herself. "I mean… It did just say your name, and it called itself Weiss. Hey, Ren, do we know a Weiss?"

Ren shook his head, keeping his guns trained on the wolf still. "No, but we still don't have reason to believe this wolf isn't just another beast from this forest."

Weiss began to whimper, making Yang lower her gauntlets. "Yang…" The blonde could hear her voice a lot clear at that point, so a few steps was all Yang needed to take. After getting close enough, she knelt down by Weiss and looked at the wolf. "S-Surprise…" She gave a smile as best she could.

Yang couldn't believe it, so she hugged the wolf, feeling terrible for aiming her weapons at her. "Oh my goodness… Weiss, I… I'm so sorry. If I knew it was you I would've never aimed my gauntlets at you." She rubbed the wolf's fur, making her tail sway as she nuzzled into Yang.

"I don't blame you, you oaf. It's my fault for not telling you my semblance." When she felt Yang pull away and give her a questioning look, she sighed. "It's a lot to explain… But right now Ruby is keeping watch over Jaune and his partner. We still need our relics though."

Yang looked over at the pedestals and nodded. "Right. I'll grab em for ya. You just lead the way to Ruby and the others." She smiled and chuckled a little. "Man, a wolf… That's gotta be a new one for sure." Weiss playfully rolled her eyes at that, though she was happy Yang was there with her.

* * *

 **And now more people know. So let's see if Weiss will be able to feel more comfortable with her 'semblance' around more people.**

 **Also, sorry if the fight in this chapter seemed too fast.**

 **To JJ- This isn't much of a spoiler, but she will train herself later, and I'm glad you and others are enjoying the Willow and Raven scenes. With Nora, I didn't want it to be an exact copy of a canon scene, so I like making differences here and there.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 20. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 21.**


	21. The Day We Became A Team

**Here's chapter 21, everyone.**

* * *

"Okay, so let me get this straight. Your semblance is that you can be a big wolf?" Nora asked the white wolf who looked unamused, seeing as this was the third variation of how she asked her about her semblance.

"Ugh, for the last time, yes. Though I have grown a bit as a wolf. I suppose it's normal though, since we do grow normally." Weiss answered, sighing a bit. "Now can you please stop asking me the same question over and over?"

Blake was looking away at the time, still in shock at how Weiss was the wolf, but not specifically Weiss, but a Schnee.

" _There's no way. The Schnee family semblance… It's glyphs. Adam informed me of that in the intel that day."_

She shook her head a few times, wishing she didn't think about Adam, since that was a past she wanted to not go back to. "Hey, uh, Blake, right?" Weiss asked as she walked up to the black haired girl, making her tense up as she looked down.

"H-Huh?" Blake was face to face with a Schnee, wishing she wasn't, but there wasn't much she could do to avoid her at that point. "Oh… Um, yes."

Weiss remembered what Yang told her, so she sat down. "I'm sorry if my semblance makes you nervous. Not a lot of people… Know about it. They just assume it's glyphs."

Ren spoke up. "I'd like to apologize for aiming our weapons at you." He bowed a little, and Weiss shook her head.

"Please don't do that. I had servants in my home doing that so much I had to ask them to stop." Weiss said, hoping no one would try to treat her that way.

"Well if we're being honest, it wasn't because of your name. I just felt you deserved it for us wrongfully aiming at you." Ren explained.

Weiss let out a smile and her tail swayed from side to side, making Nora coo cutely. "Your tail even moves when you're happy like a dog! That is way too cute!"

The white wolf's tail stopped swaying and she growled at the orange haired girl, surprising her. "I. Am. Not. A. Dog." She looked beyond pissed, hating that comparison more than anything.

"Uh… Sorry?" Nora rubbed the back of her head, slowly getting behind Ren as she didn't want to be attacked by the pissed off looking wolf.

"Try not to take it personally." Ren requested. "Nora just gets a little too excited about some things. If I can do anything-."

"No, it's… It's fine. Just don't call me a dog…" Weiss said in a soft tone, almost like she didn't want to talk anymore about the subject, so she turned away and saw Yang walking over with two relics and Myrtenaster. "It's… Odd. Chess pieces as the relics I mean."

"Threw me for a loop too, but hey, we got em. I'll hold onto them for you." Yang said, holding Myrtenaster out for her. "You did manage to bring this with you, so… Are you actually able to hold it?" Weiss nodded, getting close enough to grab her weapon with her teeth, surprising Yang. "Well that answers that." She chuckled a bit and looked to the others. "You guys ready to head out?"

Ren and Nora nodded, while Blake was still staring at Weiss.

" _She herself said it… People assume her semblance would be glyphs, but… If that's the case, then how isn't it?"_

Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt someone shake her a bit. She turned to see it was Yang, surprising her a bit. "Blake, we're heading out. Come on." Yang said to her, pulling away from her partner.

"Y-Yeah, okay. Just… I'll be right behind you guys." Blake said, and Yang knew why she was like that, so she sighed and nodded, walking over with the others. Blake kept herself in the back, keeping an eye on the white wolf who was walking next to her partner.

* * *

"I can kinda see now why you never let us see you use your semblance before, Weiss." Yang remarked as the white wolf was leading them back to the cave. "What's it like?"

"Being able to change like this? It's… A seamless transition. I don't really feel anything when I use my semblance." Weiss explained as she had Yang carrying Myrtenaster so she could talk.

Yang nodded. "Well, I'm glad you finally got to show me. Does Ruby already know too?"

"Yes, though… It was only because we got into a fight I couldn't handle normally." Weiss whimpered a bit, remembering how Ruby getting hurt made her use her 'semblance'.

"Hey, don't sweat it. We all use our semblances, Weiss. You aren't barred from using it too, y'know." Yang pointed out.

Weiss remained silent for a moment, but when she saw the cave, her wolf ears perked up. "Over there." She started to run, so the others had to keep pace. "They're just inside" When Weiss made it to the entrance, she was greeted with Ruby aiming her sniper. "Ruby, it's me."

Ruby smiled and lowered her weapon. "I know. I wasn't about to shoot." She set Crescent Rose down and ran over, but then she knelt down and looked a bit upset with her friend.

"W-What?" Weiss knew why she was like that.

"You ran off!" Ruby shouted and hugged her wolf partner, tears threatening to fall. "Y-You can't just run off without me like that, Weiss! What if something-."

Weiss pulled away, giving her a stern look, or as best as she could as a wolf. "If we're going to be partners, you need to trust me more, Ruby… Or do you just think I can't handle being a huntress…"

Ruby gasped and shook her head a bunch of times. "It's not like that! I just-." She stopped when she saw her sister walking in with two others. "Yang?"

"That's my name." The blonde brawler grinned and walked over, placing Myrtenaster down next to Weiss and pulling out two of the relics from her pocket. "Someone order chess pieces? Ala relic style?"

As Weiss rolled her eyes, Ruby could only smile in joy as she got up and quickly grabbed one of the knight pieces. "Yeah! We can pass initiation, Weiss!" She exclaimed, reaching down and hugging her partner again, but the wolf was still a bit upset.

Yang looked over to see Jaune holding his partner's hand, so she walked over, doing her best not to startle the boy. "Hey." She said in a soft tone, and the blonde boy looked up, seeing her holding out a rook piece. "We brought you guys one of the relics. Take it." She had a reassuring smile on.

Jaune hesitated for a moment, but when he heard Pyrrha groaning a bit, he felt a bit better and nodded. "T-Thanks." He took the relic in his hand and set it down, watching as Pyrrha opened her eyes. "Pyrrha… Um, how do you feel?"

"May I… Come back to you on that?" She groaned a little and the scarlet haired girl sat up slowly, looking around the cave they were in. "Did we come here… Because of me?"

"Hey, don't say it like that… I'm the one who distracted you." Jaune reminded, taking the blame. "But, we did win that fight… Thanks to Ruby and Weiss. Still, we got our own relics now and-."

Pyrrha let out a smile, surprising him. "Thank you for keeping watch over me."

Jaune chuckled nervously. "O-Oh, no, you should thank Ruby for-."

"Sheesh, Jaune, just take the compliment from a pretty girl." Yang teased as the boy blushed a little in embarrassment. "You two get ready when you can. We're probably gonna be heading to the cliffs as a group if you're cool with that." With a nod from Pyrrha, Yang gave them a thumbs up and walked back to the others.

Weiss pulled away from Ruby again, looking away from her partner. "Weiss? What's wrong?"

"You never answered me…" Weiss reminded, her tail sagging on the ground, showing she was saddened that her friend could possibly think she wasn't capable of becoming a huntress on her own.

Ruby frowned, walking over and kneeling next to her. "I do think you can be a huntress, no, I know you will be a huntress. I was just… I was scared, Weiss."

"But why when I do something, huh?" Weiss questioned, the others staying out of their conversation. "Why is it that you can go around and have so much fun being reckless, but when I try to do something that can help us, all of a sudden that's too dangerous? Tell me, Ruby…"

"I-I…" Ruby was at a loss for words.

"Y-You really don't think I can handle this…" Weiss whimpered and felt like she wanted to cry, but Ruby threw herself on the wolf, crying into her fur and surprising Weiss.

"No! I would never think that! I just don't want to lose you okay! I… I had nightmares a few days ago… And I just don't want them to come true." Ruby said, gently crying more and more.

Weiss was surprised that Ruby never told her about the nightmares, since she usually would. "Why didn't you just tell me?"

Ruby pulled her face away and wiped some of the tears from her face. "I-I thought it was stupid… And I didn't want you to worry about me-."

"That's what I want too, Ruby. For us to have enough trust as partners to the point where we can both be confident in the other's abilities to not fear for one another so much." Weiss explained.

It was the truth. In the field of hunters, trust was a strong variable, and Ruby took a breath at the realization. She wiped away all of her tears and placed her hands on her knees, nodding to the wolf. "R-Right. I'll remember that, Weiss… Just, next time I would rather we talk it out before you go running off. Deal?"

Weiss' tail swayed a bit, so she nodded. "Deal." As the two reached the agreement, Yang could only smile at them, feeling proud of both her little sister and best friend.

* * *

"We about ready to go?" Yang asked after the group took about twenty minutes to get their things ready, but when she noticed Weiss looking a little nervous, she raised an eyebrow and walked over. "You doing okay, Weiss?"

"Um… Yes… But I would rather not have everyone in here right now, so can you get them to all please leave the cave?" The white wolf requested, and Yang seemed confused by that.

"Sure? But isn't that what we're doing alre-." Ruby cut her off when she walked with Weiss' clothes, making Yang realize what was going on. "Oh…"

Weiss lowered her head in embarrassment. "Please, Yang... Can you get everyone out?"

Yang nodded, not saying a word as Ruby hid the clothes a bit, trying not to let the others see. The blonde brawler rounded everyone up and told them to clear out of the cave, getting them out and leaving Weiss and Ruby alone in the cave.

"Okay, Weiss. Do you feel like you can use your semblance without losing too much aura now?" Ruby asked as she set Weiss' clothes down.

The white wolf nodded, having focused on her aura a bit before. "Yes, though… You know you can't look either…" She blushed, and Ruby as well, so the rose girl nodded, turning around. "I didn't mean like that, Ruby. The cave, don't be in it at all."

"R-Right." Ruby walked outside of the cave and Weiss sighed.

It only took a few moments, but Weiss focused on using her 'semblance', the light that would encompassing her body. She took a breath and looked down, blushing heavily as she quickly gathered her clothes up and began putting them on, though she did enjoy how she still had her necklace on after the change.

Ruby was waiting away from the cave, doing her best to show Weiss she'd respect her privacy, but also stay close enough to make sure no beasts would try and sneak inside of the cave.

" _I know she wants me to not worry, but that doesn't mean I should just up and ignore her safety either."_

The scythe wielder said to herself in her thoughts as she looked over at the group, watching as they talked amongst themselves. She smiled a bit, imagining what it would be like when she herself would become a fully trained huntress, going on missions and being part of hunting squads. With how she snuck onto an airship with a huntress that one time, it was just a small taste of what she would one day be able to be part of.

"Ruby…" Weiss called out to her, so the rose girl turned around, seeing her friend, as a human again and wearing her clothes. "Um, I'm ready to go." She gave her a sheepish smile.

With a returning smile, Ruby nodded and walked over, offering her hand to Weiss. "Then let's go, Weiss. Let's go finally become huntresses together and pass initiation."

"You dolt… Saying such things." Weiss brushed some of her bangs from her forehead, lightly taking Ruby's hand in her own as she and her partner went to catch up with the group.

* * *

"So… How come we have to wait to be called up? I mean, shouldn't we just get some paper saying where to go or something?" Yang asked as she, Ruby, Weiss and Blake were told to stand side by side each other in the main hall, as many other students were too gathered up.

"It's the ceremony, sis. You should be excited." Ruby said with a pure look of excitement on her face.

"Don't get me wrong, it's awesome. I'm just surprised is all. I didn't think the headmaster would try and praise anyone here after the way he handled speeches." Yang remarked.

Weiss spoke up. "Can we get through this without having someone come over to shush us, please?"

Yang stuck her tongue out at her white haired friend, who rolled her eyes in response as the four girls were called up on stage, Blake looking a little nervous as she kept an eye on the Schnee still.

As they got up on the stage, Ozpin walked up to them, standing ten feet away from the girls with his arms behind his back. "Blake Belladonna," Yang made sure to remember her last name after hearing it. "Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, and Yang Xiao Long. You four retrieved the white knight pieces, though…" He trailed off and looked over at Ruby and Weiss. "It seems that only one of you ever made it to the relics themselves."

Ruby gulped a bit, but Weiss spoke up for her. "Sir, the objective was not to find the relics themselves. It was to retrieve one. Ruby and I did, and we brought it back before the five hours were up, so if you were going to say we failed, then-."

Ozpin lifted his hand up to stop her. "If you would let me finish, I was going to say due to how you both handled the situation you were dealt with, I wanted to congratulate you both. The way you handled both the objective, and protecting a fellow student was admirable."

Weiss blushed in embarrassment of her small outburst, while Yang chuckled and threw her arm around her white haired friend. "Got a little ahead of yourself, huh, ice wolf… Oh wait… That so works better now!" Yang exclaimed, and Weiss groaned in response as Ozpin coughed to get their attention.

"As I was saying, you four retrieved the same set of pieces, so that makes you girls a team." Ozpin's words echoed in Blake's mind, her worries having been multiplied, but she stood still. "And as such, you will be led by, Ruby Rose."

Ruby's eyes widened, and Yang gasped happily, moving over to hug her little sister. "Ruby! I'm so proud of you!"

Weiss looked a little saddened, but when she saw that Ruby's surprised look turned into a happier one, she couldn't help but gain a small smile of her own. Still, Weiss held her wolf pendant close, thinking if she did something wrong to not be made the leader.

* * *

 **And with that, initiation is finally done. As of this point, I will be straying away from the canon path. Got my own story to write here, and if anyone has any questions on certain people for this story, I'll do my best to answer. Meaning people who have been involved so far and what they may be doing.**

 **To JJ- JNPR side of things does sadly take a huge break, but I won't forget about that forever. I just have bigger plans for the main four, Willow and her family, and Raven with her team. So more on that later.**

 **To Lotus-one- I did have to google translate your review, so I will do my best to answer your questions. First, I'm glad you like the story. As for your first question, it isn't her semblance actually. Her true semblance will be revealed later, and yes, it was already written out by this point. For your second question, when her kind gets older, they too grow. So eventually she'd be the size of a house at an older age. She does at one point grow in this story, so I'll point out how big she'll be when it happens.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 21. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 22.**


	22. I Won't Fail You

**Here's chapter 22, everyone.**

* * *

"I'm so proud of you for passing initiation, snowflake." Willow said over the scroll, with Weiss sighing a bit as she had her hair down. "How was it? Did you meet anyone new? Oh, did you-."

"Mom, so many questions." Weiss giggled a little. "It was honestly a little… Exhilarating. I also managed to partner up with Ruby if you'd believe it."

Willow's eyes widened as she squealed in joy. "Oh Summer is going to love hearing that just as much as I do." Weiss could tell she was still in the same cabin she was in the night before. "Did you see any of those… Um, monsters?" While she had faith in her daughter's abilities, the thought of her fighting monsters still worried her as a mother.

"A few, yes, but nothing Ruby and I couldn't handle." The white haired teen assured as she ran her hand through her hair, hoping that no one would walk in until she was done with her call. "I… Also used my semblance." She blushed a bit.

"You did? Well, I think that's great, snowflake." Willow saw the blush on her face. "I understand why you're still embarrassed, sweetie, but-."

"No, it's fine, mom." Weiss let out a smile, thinking about how both Ruby and Yang reacted to her 'semblance'. "I explained how it works to Ruby and Yang. They made me feel better about it…" She mumbled the next part. "Even if I still need to change back into my clothes after…"

Willow chuckled a little. "See. You had nothing to worry about the whole time. And you said Yang. Does that mean you both saw each other during initiation?"

"Yes, and if you thought me partnering up with Ruby was a lucky break, I'm also on the same team with Yang." Weiss explained, though she forgot to mention her last teammate.

"Oh… Summer will explode at this." Willow said as she began to think of the many scenarios she would have explaining how both Ruby and Yang ended up on the same team as Weiss. "And your last teammate? I assume you have a fourth with Yang needing a partner too after all."

Weiss scratched the back of her head and looked a little unsure about her last teammate. "Um, well her name is Blake. Apparently she's a little shy, but Yang vouches for her, so only time will tell if she feels comfortable around us more."

Willow nodded, but when she turned to look to her left, she sighed. "Sweetie, I may have to end this call a little sooner than expected. Still, I am so happy that your initiation went well. Tell Ruby and Yang that I give them my congrats too."

"I will, mom. I love you." Weiss smiled.

"I love you too, snowflake." Willow waved to her as she ended the video call.

Weiss sighed happily, looking over out the window, seeing the light of the moon shine through into the room. "I'll never understand why it's partially broken… But it feels so much prettier that way."

A few minutes passed as Weiss stretched and got up from her bed, wondering where her teammates were. Her question was answered when Ruby walked in. "Hey, Weiss."

"And where were you this whole time?" Weiss inquired as she walked over to one of the tables, picking up her pendant and wrapping the necklace around her neck.

"Just talking with Jaune. He was… Well I was gonna say a little nervous, buuuuut… He was practically sweating bullets." Ruby said with a chuckle. "Him being named the leader put a lot of pressure on him."

Weiss thought about the boy for a moment, wondering just how he was named leader when he couldn't even use dust, but she shrugged it off and asked. "What about you? Do you feel a little nervous about this whole leader thing?"

"Uh, well a little, but I don't really care about it too much." Weiss raised an eyebrow at that. "I mean, when we all graduate, the whole leader thing is not really important since we'll go on a bunch of missions with different people here and there."

"I mean, that is true, but what about these four years? Don't you want to learn how to properly lead a team just in case you're assigned as one when you're a full fledged huntress?" Weiss questioned as she walked over and sat on her bed.

Ruby sat next to her, thinking about the question for a moment. "I don't really know to be honest, Weiss. It's… Weird? I think that's the word. I didn't really expect to be the leader, but… I do feel like I can at least promise one thing about it." Weiss waited on her to finish her thought. "I'm gonna make sure not to fail you guys."

Weiss was a bit surprised by that, but she sighed and nudged her partner a bit, getting her attention. "You are such a dork sometimes. How can you say you won't fail us and not expect us to feel the same. It is called a team effort after all."

With a chuckle, Ruby couldn't help but smile as she nodded to her friend. "That's true, but I just wanna try and make sure I do a good job for you guys. I still need to get to know Blake, keep Yang under control at times and… Learn to not be such a worrywart when it comes to my partner." She said as she took Weiss' hand, squeezing it a bit. "I'm still really sorry about that…"

Weiss was blushing slightly at the hand squeeze, but she shook her head. "Let's not exchange apologies. We do that enough don't you think?" She said, both girls chuckling as they heard the door open, so Ruby pulled her hand away from Weiss, not wanting her sister to come in and try to tease her about it.

"Ugh, I need to get some sleep. That Nora girl is way too energetic, even for me." Yang walked in, hunched over as she plopped herself on her bed, though the beds were very unarranged and even crooked.

Blake sighed as she walked in behind her. "I told you to not let her have another round of sparring with you, but you didn't listen."

Yang waved her off. "Do the I told you so stuff later. For now, I sleep."

Weiss looked a bit confused and turned to Blake. "Why were they sparring? I thought we weren't allowed to use the training room yet."

Hearing the Schnee speak to her made Blake tense up, so she pretended to look for something, not wanting to face her. "They just went outside." Her answer was short and to the point.

"Okay." Weiss decided not to pry anymore, since she still kept Yang's words about Blake in mind. "So… Should we all get to sleep?"

Yang gave her a thumbs up without saying a word, her eyes closed as she didn't bother to change out of her combat attire. Ruby got up from Weiss' bed and stretched. "Yeah, I think that would be for the best. This was an awesome day, team."

Weiss smiled at the word, nodding to her partner as she laid back in bed, getting her blanket over her as she closed her eyes and thought about what was going to be up next.

" _A team."_

* * *

"Father, you wanted to see me?" Whitley asked as he spoke to his father when he walked into his office he had in Mistral, noticing that the CEO was looking displeased.

"None that need your attention, but your mother seems to continue to ignore my calls. Inform her that she is to return my calls if you can somehow get a hold of her." Jacques said in an annoyed tone.

Whitley thought about it for a moment, and he hadn't spoken to his mother since he and Weiss yelled at each other about her leaving for Beacon. "Yes, father." He chose not to relay that information though.

"Good. Now have you paid close attention to the way the people of Mistral react to our generosity?" Jacques questioned with a smirk, Whitley nodding to him as an answer. "The headmaster is a very… Easy man to speak to. All it takes is a bit of protection dealings and his support is attained."

"I believe the term is, cowardice, father. The man is a Faunus and chooses to not speak up when spoken to." Whitley stated.

"Indeed. It still does not change the fact that with his support, the influence our company has attained will continue to span over Remnant." Jacques proudly said.

Whitley held his arms behind his back, nodding almost robotically at his words. "I would say that seems impossible, since our influence is all over Remnant already, but I do know a few barbaric places still feel the need to accuse us of such foul acts."

"Yes, their words have no meaning behind them though. It's all in their head." Jacques explained, his son not completely believing that, but he'd not speak up against his father, so the CEO went back to his computer. "Go on and get back to your studies. I will be discussing more about our expansions with… The coward as you put it."

Whitley bowed to his father and turned to walk out of his office. As he walked through the halls of the SDC building that was made in Mistral after his father expanded to the kingdom, he sighed. Passing by the many people who wore suits and ties felt annoying to the boy, but he was to grow used to seeing those kinds of people.

Here and there he would be greeted by the many workers inside the building, though mostly out of fear that his father would fire them for simply ignoring the boy. Whitley didn't care much about their greetings as he got to the room he was given for the business trip.

It wasn't much. A bed, two drawers, a table with a finely crafted lamp and the interior walls seemed so plain with its workplace style paint job. The boy sighed as he sat on the bed, pulling his scroll out.

He only had his mother's number on hand because she insisted, but he never budged on taking Weiss or Winter's, so he tapped out her number and held his scroll sideways, not bothering with a video call. "Honey? I didn't expect you to call me. Is everything okay?" His mother's voice spoke through the scroll.

"Yes, mother, but I am calling to question you on why you have ignored his calls." Whitley got right to the point.

Willow sighed, earning a confused look from her son. "I have other matters to attend to, honey. And I know your father is very busy, so let him know we can speak about whatever it is he wishes to discuss with me."

"It's still disrespectful to outright ignore his calls, mother. Father is stressed out enough from his busy-." Before he could continue, Willow cut him off.

"Honey, this is between your father and I. That means I want you to focus on what you wish to do. Please." Willow begged.

"What I wish to do is make sure you and father speak when he wishes to speak to you…" Whitley trailed off, not expressing what he was really after.

Willow sniffled a bit from the cold, though Whitley wouldn't know. "And I understand your concern, honey. Look, I promise that I'll give him a call soon. Okay?"

"That… Will do, yes. Thank you for understanding, mother." Whitley responded.

"Mhmm, and… I know you and your sister had a little bit of an argument," An understatement for sure. "But I'd like to let you know that she had a wonderful first two days at her new school. She's passed her initiation as well."

"Hmm." Was all Whitley could say, not seeing the frown on her mother's face.

"Y-Yes. Um, honey, I know you'd rather not hear this, but I really think you should call your sister. It can't be good for either of you to not speak after what happened." Willow remarked.

Whitley fixed up his tie and thought about it for a moment, but shook his head. "Clearly she'll be busy with her… Barbaric school, and you know I have far too little time. Even this call is getting in the way of my studies."

That stung Willow and her son couldn't see her holding her hand to her heart in pain. "Honey, please… Don't refer to it as barbaric. This is your sister's dream."

Whitley sighed, not wanting to argue with another family member, since it hurt too much. "Very well. I still stand by what I said. She is going to be busy focusing on her own studies, as should I."

"Okay, honey… I love you." Willow said, hoping her son knew she truly did.

"I… Love you too, mother." The boy said as he ended the call, not waiting to hear how his mother would react. He contemplated throwing his scroll, wishing it wasn't hard to say those words to his own family, but something kept him still. "A Schnee shouldn't show loss of control…"

His father's words repeated in his head, and the young Schnee stood up, fixing up his shirt collar as he walked to his desk to sit and study.

* * *

Willow sighed, keeping her hand against where her heart would be as she lowered her scroll. "Honey… I am so sorry." She blamed herself more and more each day, but looking over at Raven, she felt a spark in herself, so she got up and stretched, taking note how late it was.

"Idiot, get some sleep." Raven said, startling the woman as she thought the black haired huntress was asleep.

"I-I was just going to spend an hour out there was all." Willow replied, looking a little nervous when Raven turned to face her while she laid on the bed, giving her an unamused look. "I'm not going to overexert myself."

"You said that before and I had to carry your ass back in here." Raven reminded.

Willow huffed, crossing her arms in defiance. "Well just let me have the one hour, and if it looks like I might overdo it, stop me." She smirked. "Unless you don't think you can."

Raven rolled her eyes and sat up. "Yeah, because a housewife could hold her own against me when she can't even use one glyph without falling over."

"Well then you have nothing to worry about then." Willow said, her smirk still present as she walked out with her coat, earning a sigh from the huntress who decided to follow her, only to keep an eye on her though.

"One hour, idiot. So don't waste it." Raven said, leaning against the cabin as she watched Willow nod and focus on her aura again.

* * *

 **Not much to say here besides that Whitley still does care about his family, as seen before with his argument with Weiss.**

 **To JJ- Yeah, Weiss isn't about to freely do that in front of her friends, even if she was super comfortable about it. And Ruby will have to get over that fear in some way. Maybe not fully, but enough to respect Weiss' career choice. Also, I can say it. No, she won't try to be leader. She accepts Ruby as leader here, but is a little sad about not being picked.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 22. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 23.**


	23. I Wasn't Trying To Hurt You

**Here's chapter 23, everyone.**

* * *

"Nora, what else can I tell you? Weiss doesn't like it when you say that." Ruby said, taking a bite of her sandwich as she, Yang, Ren and Nora were sat down at one of the lunch tables.

"I don't mean it like that though!" Nora shouted, earning a few looks from other students, but she paid them no mind. "I'm just curious is all. How many people have you seen have the semblance of animal-."

Ren covered her mouth up, the hammer wielder's words being muffled. "Weiss asked us specifically to not mention what her semblance is, Nora." He whispered.

Once she nodded, showing she wouldn't say anything, he moved his hand away. "Sorry. Anyways, I just wanna know stuff about it is all."

"Then ask Weiss in private at some point. But don't ask insensitive questions either." Yang said as she jabbed her fork into her scrambled eggs.

"Define insensitive." Nora requested.

Yang pulled the fork away from her mouth, not taking the bite of her eggs as she sighed. "Asking if she gets fleas, if she can bark, shit like that, Nora. It isn't that hard to know what an insensitive question is." With that she ate some of her eggs.

Nora pouted as she leaned against Ren's shoulder. "Well there goes two of my questions."

Weiss walked over with a tray of her own breakfast. "What are you pouting about this time?" She asked the orange haired girl as she sat next to Ruby.

"Uh… Nothing?" Nora moved away from Ren, not wanting to admit she was going to ask Weiss if she gets fleas, which got an eye roll from the white haired teen.

"You're a terrible liar. Lucky for you, I'm hungry." Weiss said as she took a bite of her apple.

Ruby finished her sandwich and burped, getting a look of disgust from her partner. "W-What? I've burped on call before."

"I'm sitting next to you and eating, you dolt." Weiss countered, setting her apple down, but she noticed something, or someone was missing. "I know Jaune and Pyrrha are in the training hall, but where's Blake?"

Yang knew, which made her a little annoyed since her partner was still doing her best to avoid being around the heiress. "She's probably just in the library or something."

"Hmm, well I don't see why she should skip out on lunch." Weiss commented. "Jaune and Pyrrha at least grabbed something to eat before they left."

Yang shrugged, keeping up the lie for her partner. "Maybe she did too and we didn't see her."

* * *

Blake looked through the pages of her book, wanting to find one specific paper she had left hidden inside. "It has to be here." When she found it, she sighed. "Why is she so different?" The black haired huntress in training asked herself as she pulled the paper out from her book.

It was a list of names from the Schnee family. With it showed the long line, including Weiss' grandfather who first started the company. She looked at Weiss' name, remembering how Adam told her everything she needed to know about the white haired girl.

" _She's seventeen, the daughter of Jacques Schnee and Willow Schnee. They announced her birth at the grand opening of the ice dust mine in Atlas, yet some recounted not seeing any sign of her mother being pregnant."_

Blake shook her head, not caring about that question in her mind, only thinking about why a Schnee would want to come to Beacon, and have a semblance that wasn't glyphs. "What am I missing here?" There was no answer for Blake, not one. She could dig deeper into it, but from the records, there was no way she could answer why Weiss had a different 'semblance'. "Is it really possible to break the chain of a hereditary semblance?"

"You can just ask me." Weiss' voice startled Blake, who turned to see the white haired teen standing at the door, so she made sure to not let her see the paper she had. "If my semblance is what makes you avoid me, then just tell me."

"What?" Blake placed the paper back in her book as she stood.

"I'm not an idiot." Weiss crossed her arms. "I know you've been avoiding me, Blake. So is it because of my semblance or not?"

Blake was surprised the white haired teen paid that much attention to her. "I… No, it's not that, and I'm not avoiding you." She lied.

"Hmph. Sure you haven't." Weiss walked over to her bed, taking a seat as she crossed her leg over the other. "If you're shy, I get that, but when it's literally just me you avoid, I get to ask why."

"And what makes you think you can?" Blake said in a challenging tone, since talking to a Schnee was getting her riled up.

Weiss sighed. "Because we're going to be on the same team for four years. Do you honestly plan to avoid me that entire time." When Blake said nothing and looked to the side, Weiss was shocked. "You really were… What did I ever do to you to warrant such a thing?" The white haired huntress in training got up, clearly offended.

"You're… You're just a Schnee." Blake admitted, not able to lie anymore and seeing Weiss' shocked reaction. "What? Are you honestly surprised?"

With a frown, Weiss shook her head. "I guess not… Is it because of my father?"

Blake crossed her arms, keeping her glare. "You can say that."

"Whatever he did, I won't apologize for it." Weiss said, watching as Blake looked a bit angrier. "I have zero interest in what my father does. So to apologize on his behalf would be an empty lie and you know it."

"Then we have nothing else to say here." Blake said, lowering her arms as she was about to turn away from her teammate, only for Weiss to place her hand on the black haired huntress in training's shoulder, making Blake's reflexes kick in. With a spin, she slapped Weiss away, but she gasped, not meaning to do such a thing.

Weiss backed up, clearly shook by the slap as she brought her hand up, cupping her left cheek as she looked at Blake in shock.

"I-I didn't… I didn't mean to." Blake held her hand out, though not completely since she was still a Schnee. Still, she felt bad for slapping her like that. "You grabbed my shoulder and-."

She didn't get to finish as Weiss ran out of the room, not saying a word, leaving Blake alone as she could only watch. With the Schnee out of the room, Blake looked to the ground, feeling guilty, and feeling regret as she wished there was a way to stop herself from doing what she did.

" _I wasn't trying to hurt her."_

* * *

As she ran through the halls, Weiss was fighting back her tears. " _S-She hit me…"_ Those words continued to echo in Weiss' head as she ran passed students here and there, some giving her confused looks as she ran.

She clutched her wolf pendant in her other hand, squeezing it as a tear fell, unable to fight it back. Once she saw there were no students around, she stopped running and let a few more tears fall. Her cheek stung as she lowered her hand, knowing it was a little red.

Weiss shook her head, refusing to let any tears fall, so she took a deep breath and blinked the tears away. "No more crying…" She repeated those words in her head a few times.

"Weiss?" Yang's voice startled the white haired girl, making her hide her cheek with her hand as she did her best to lean on the wall, using her elbow as leverage.

"H-Hey, Yang. What are you doing here?" Weiss asked, doing her best to not show Yang the red on her cheek.

The blonde brawler looked at how Weiss was leaning on the wall, seeing as she never really let her posture fall to that level. "Uh, walking to the bathroom… But why were you running earlier?"

"W-What ever do you mean? I was simply walking fast since-." Weiss yelped when Yang pulled her from the wall, her hand falling from where she kept it.

When Yang saw the red on her cheek, her lilac eyes change to blood red. "Who?"

"Yang… It was no one. I just tripped and made myself look like an idiot in front of people." The lie was clearly not getting through to Yang, and Weiss frowned.

"Who the hell hit you?" Yang clenched her fist, ready to pulverize whoever laid a finger on her friend, and Weiss felt bad about what she wanted to do next, but she needed Yang to calm down.

"If you even think about doing what Ruby has done… I won't forgive you." Weiss said, biting her lip. Yang's red eyes were still present, but she looked confused by what she said, only for Weiss to look to the side as she held her arm. "I'm not a child that needs protecting… You and Ruby helped me with that meathead day one… Then all Ruby could do was worry over me during initiation. Let me handle things on my own!"

Yang's eyes widened, her lilac color returning to her eyes. "But… Someone hit you, Weiss. You can't just tell me to ignore that."

"Yes I can, and you will… Understand?" Weiss said defiantly.

The blonde groaned and turned around, showing the girl her back as she crossed her arms. She shook her head, annoyed that Weiss would even ask her to let it slide. "You've got to be kidding me, Weiss…"

"I am not." The only reason Weiss didn't accept Yang's help was because it was Blake. She didn't want to break the team apart when it had only been a week since they formed. "This," She rubbed her cheek after Yang turned back around. "Just caught me off guard."

"Will you at least tell me who hit you?" Yang asked, hands on her hips.

"With you? That person would be hunted and beaten to a pulp, so no, I am not about to see you getting detention, suspended, or even worse, expelled because you couldn't let this one thing slide." Weiss explained.

"Ugh, for… Fine…" Yang walked up to Weiss, leaning her hand over to cup her cheek, making the white haired girl sigh. "Damn it, Weiss. You know I don't like this…"

"I know," Weiss took a step back, having Yang's hand off of her face. "I can't say I'd be any different if you or Ruby were hit."

Yang kicked her boot against the ground, sulking as she hated that Weiss was denying her the right to beat on whoever hit her. It wasn't that she wanted to hit someone, it was that someone laid a finger on her friend. "Alright… Well, come on. Let's get that cleaned up."

Weiss sniffled and nodded, taking the blonde's hand as she was led into the bathroom a few halls down. "I'm glad it was you who found me and not Ruby." Weiss said as she splashed some water on her face, while Yang offered her scarf as a rag.

"How come?" When she saw Weiss hesitate to take the scarf, she playfully rolled her eyes. "It'll dry up, ice wolf."

She didn't argue and accepted the scarf, rubbing the water off of her face. "Because I literally told her last week to not worry about me so much. If she saw me with a mark on my face, well I don't think I need to say the rest." Weiss kept on rubbing her face, hoping the mark would slowly fade away.

"I can see what you mean." Yang commented.

Weiss nodded, pulling the scarf away as she looked in the mirror, still seeing some red on her cheek. "Ugh."

"It'll be there for a bit, but if you want to get it by Ruby and Blake, just say you couldn't get your locker opened and it hit ya in the face when you pulled it too hard." Yang smirked.

"I doubt Ruby would fall for that…" Weiss said as handed Yang her scarf back.

Yang put her scarf away, not wanting to wear it since it was a bit wet. "Eh, I think she could, but it's your call, Weiss."

"You aren't going to try and convince me to tell her what happened?" Weiss asked, surprised a bit.

"Not if you don't want to, Weiss. I'm still pissed, don't get me wrong, but this whole not wanting Ruby to worry so much means a lot to you, right?" Yang asked, getting a weak nod from her friend. "Well that settles it then. I'll keep my mouth shut, but if this does happen again… Please tell me, okay?"

"I suppose that's fair." Weiss was able to let out a smile.

"Good. Now come on. Let's head back to the dorm." When Yang said that, Weiss fidgeted a little, the blonde catching that.

"Um, maybe we can go outside instead? Get some fresh air and all." Weiss suggested, hoping to avoid seeing Blake.

"I mean, if you want, sure. I don't have much going on." Yang replied with a shrug, both girls walking out of the bathroom. "Hey, I never got to ask, but do you ever use your semblance to just relax?"

Weiss wasn't actually taken aback by the question, as she simply nodded, surprising Yang since she didn't expect that answer. "There was a day once where I wanted to train, but when I used my semblance… I don't know. I guess I lost the feeling to train and laid on the grass." She smiled at the memory. "It was calm and the breeze was just right that day."

Yang chuckled a bit. "I'd say that's pretty damn cute, but you'd probably bite my head off with those teeth of yours, ice wolf."

"Ugh, why did I even show you my semblance again in the first place?" Weiss asked aloud as the two teammates walked down the hall.

"Beats me. You were the one who ran up to me with your tail going all crazy." Yang smirked.

Weiss blushed, pushing her friend a bit and earning a laugh. "S-Shut up! I was just glad you didn't get eaten by a Taara or something. You reckless oaf."

"Aww, and she says we shouldn't worry about her." Yang continued teasing.

After groaning a bit, Weiss gave up. "Whatever."

Yang held her arms behind her head as they walked, but once she saw her sister, she moved her arm down and poked Weiss' shoulder, getting her attention. Weiss looked over, seeing the rose girl and she felt a little nervous. "Don't worry. Just tell her you got too hot and needed some fresh air."

"O-Okay." Weiss responded.

Ruby was in the middle of putting Crescent Rose away and noticed her sister and best friend. "Hey, sis. Hey, Weiss…" She looked closely at her white haired friend, who frowned since she knew she would notice immediately. "Weiss, what happened-."

"A bit of heatstroke is all. I was just going outside for some air if you'd like to join us." Weiss let out a reassuring smile.

"Oh, well then if you need it, then yeah! Come on." She took Weiss' hand, gently walking her to the front of the school, while Yang followed close behind, stopping for a moment when an annoying thought came to her.

"Actually, you guys go on ahead!" Yang called out to them. "I wanna go get to work on some of this homework. Ugh, kinda let it pile up a bit and this is my only free time till tomorrow."

"Okay, sis!" Ruby yelled back, but Weiss seemed to look nervous since Yang would be going back to the dorm. She couldn't say anything though as Ruby was still walking her away and Yang had already turned around to head back.

* * *

 **Try not to be too angry with Blake. She has a lot of baggage, and she honestly didn't want to hurt Weiss. Reflexes will get to even the best of us, but that doesn't mean their issues are going to simply go away by me saying to not be so angry with her. More on that soon enough.**

 **To JJ- Yeah, with Whitley, he has a lot to work on, and with Blake, well, as you can see from this chapter, she herself needs to get away from hating certain Schnees. Raven will still be a hardass in future chapters, but hey, she's not like she is in canon at least.**

 **To Lotus-one- Trust me, I think everyone hates Jacques. And for the ownership thing, contracts are a thing, and since he is married into it, he technically can't be thrown out legally. With Weiss, there is more than just her wolf power. And I've had a request for Willow x Raven. I didn't pick out the pairings from the beginning. I wrote the story and let the story fall into place for who would be together. So yes, it's possible, but I can't promise anything.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 23. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 24.**


	24. Partners

**Here's chapter 24, everyone.**

* * *

"Hey." Yang greeted her partner when she pushed the door open, seeing that she was sitting on her bed, hands on her knees and looking at the ground. "Uh, contemplating some stuff there, Blake?"

Blake looked up, not taking in the blonde immediately, believing that she'd see Weiss, so she frowned and looked back down. "Not right now, Yang… Please."

Yang sighed, having Blake know she wasn't about to ignore her, so she walked over and sat beside her. "Okay, what's getting you all mopey?"

"Telling you wouldn't be exactly all that helpful." Blake admitted, knowing how angry the blonde would get with the information.

"Try me." Yang responded.

Blake was a bit nervous, not at the blonde's anger, but at her disappointment. "I… I hit Weiss."

Silence was met.

Yang blinked twice, taking in what Blake said, how Weiss looked when she found her, how angry she was when she saw the red mark over her friend's cheek. "What?" She could only say the one word, finding it hard to believe.

"I hit her, Yang… But it was an acciden-." Blake was pushed on her back and Yang looked down at her, red eyes and all. "I-I know you're mad, but I didn't mean to."

"You didn't mean to, huh?" Yang said, pissed, but in control as she didn't want to hurt her partner. "The girl who just happens to hate the Schnee family, and has one on her team, hits her, not one damn week after being put on her team. And it just happens to be an accident."

Blake growled a little, surprising Yang as she got out of bed and challenged the brawler. "Yes, it was. She reached for my shoulder and I just reacted, okay!"

Yang crossed her arms, the red in her eyes not vanishing. "She was running off, Blake. You… You hit her in the face!" Her hair slightly burst into flames before dying down a bit. "Just because she touched your damn shoulder?!"

"I don't like being touched!" Blake yelled back in return, the corner of her eyes beginning to water as Yang took note of that.

The red in her eyes finally died down and she wondered just what Blake meant. "Well… You still shouldn't have reacted the way you did." When her partner turned away and wrapped an arm around herself, Yang started to worry what Blake meant by not wanting to be touched. "Blake."

"Leave me alone." Blake sniffled, her tough act shattering as Yang saw a tear falling to the ground.

"Damn it, Blake. Why are you doing this?! Stop it with not telling me what's bothering you…" Yang begged. "I'm your partner for fu-."

"You've only known me for little over a week!" Blake spun around, clenching her teeth in anger.

Yang tightened her fists. "And?!"

"And… And you don't need to know everything about me!" Blake shouted back.

"You're crying, you idiot!" Yang continued the shouting match, not caring if anyone outside the dorm would hear. "What happened to make you not like when people even touch your damn-."

Blake jumped at her, knocking her to the ground as she held her hand against her mouth. "If I don't want to tell you… Then what makes you think I'd want anyone outside know either?" She growled.

Yang yanked Blake's hand away and was face to face with her partner, not letting her intimidate her. "Do you want to even be here…"

"Don't question me." Blake didn't get off of the blonde.

"You're an idiot." Yang did take after her mother in that regard. "You avoid Weiss, then hit her, deny me knowing what's making you cry, and now you're pinning me to the ground. What is making you like this?"

Blake's bow twitched a bit. "I've had partners in the past who tend to let me down."

"Well I'm not them, and clearly you won't let me try, so get off of me. Now." Yang demanded, feeling her black haired partner moving off of her, so she sat up and dusted herself of. "If you're gonna have a problem with Weiss-."

"I'll apologize to her." Blake cut her off.

"Not good enough." Yang crossed her arms. "Stop avoiding her. I'm sick of our team not being… A team." She frowned and lowered her arms. "We're all here to be huntresses, Blake. We can't do that without our fourth."

Blake was also sat on the floor, feeling too mentally tired to stand. "Why do you even want me on this team? You clearly don't like how I act… And I slapped Weiss."

Yang looked down at her hands, shaking her head at them. "I won't lie to you. When I saw her with that mark on her face, I was ready to beat the crap out of who hit her." She raised her head. "It was you though, so… I won't."

"People tend to forgive others far too easily." Blake commented.

"Didn't say I forgave you." Yang said, making Blake look away, feeling disappointed. "When you actually talk to Weiss about this, and stop being such an idiot about it, then I'll think about forgiving you."

"Whatever." Blake replied, getting up to finish the conversation.

"I've been covering for you, and before you get all broody, yeah I know you didn't ask for it." Yang got up as well. "But this," She pointed to herself and Blake. "Us. Ruby and Weiss. We're Team RWBY."

Blake shrugged it off. "You said that already."

"And it still means a lot to all of us." Yang reiterated. "If you won't tell me why you don't like to be touched, then tell me why you came to Beacon." She let out a smile, taking a seat on her own bed as she grumbled a bit. "Man we need to move these beds around. Mine is way too close to the wall."

"I can't really get out of this, can I?" Yang shook her head and Blake submitted to it, so she sat on her bed and folded her hands. "I wanted a change in my life, to fight in a way that I can be proud of."

"You've fought monsters before? Like I mean, way before." Yang clarified.

Blake shook her head. "Before my fight was not about monsters… Well if you asked certain people they would tell you they were monsters."

Yang had an idea about that. "Are you talking about Weiss' family?"

"I… Yes." Blake sighed. "What her family's company does is impossible to defend, and while you have a lot of good to say about Weiss, I don't know if I can see anything else when I see blue eyes and white hair."

"Have you ever tried?" Yang asked.

"No." Blake answered, feeling like a hypocrite.

Yang rubbed both of her knees and nodded. "Can you?"

"I don't know." Blake again, not able to give more of an answer than that.

"Can I help you?" Yang continued pushing on.

"Why?" Blake questioned.

"Because I want to." Her smile was, different, like it wasn't forced, or even faked. "Maybe because I really wanna see what makes you tick."

"Will you ever back off?" Blake asked, the back and forth beginning to get to her.

Yang shook her head. "Not really. We're partners after all."

Blake rubbed her leg, sniffling a bit, thinking about Adam and what the word partner really meant. "What does that word mean to you?" Yang's confused face made Blake reiterate her question. "A partner. What does that mean to you?"

"Oh, well, I can't really say. You're the only person who I've ever been partners with… But if you mean what it feels like right now, well, not too different from the word friend." Yang answered honestly. "We watch each other's backs."

"All I've learned from the word is to listen to your partner… To believe what they say and fight with them until the end, no matter how bad their ways are." Blake explained.

Yang was taken aback by that. "Okay, I get the fighting with them until the end, but you shouldn't be forced to listen to anyone. I mean, if I had an idea and you didn't like it, I'd want you to speak up about it."

Blake bit her lip, not having this feeling with Adam. "What do you call your partner then?"

"That kind of partner? Well, to me that sounds like a manipulative jerk." Yang said, trying to connect the dots as the conversed.

The constant pestering, and overall way Yang made her feel left a smile on her face, but a frown formed after. "Yang… I'm sorry."

"There it is." Yang let out a smile as well. "I was waiting when you stopped being so broody and just talked to me."

Blake rubbed her right leg again. "Yeah. I just, have trust issues from my last partner, and no offense, but I've still only known you for a little over a week."

"And we'll get to know each other more and more with time, so I won't get all my answers today. That I know." Yang got up and walked over, sitting next to her partner. "But what I do know is that one day you need to get to know the real Weiss Schnee too."

"That's-." She stopped herself. "Okay… Okay, I'll try."

Yang threw her arm around Blake, making the girl yelp. "Right…" She moved her arm away. "Sorry. No touching. Got it."

"I-I was just a little startled." Blake said, blushing a little out of embarrassment.

"Heh, fair enough." Yang took a breath though, taking a moment to get as serious as she could. "I'll say this though, and make sure to pay attention." Her eyes turned red as she stared into yellow, making Blake tense up, actually making her a bit afraid of the blonde's anger. "If I hear you hit her again… You'll have to answer to me… Got it?"

Blake slowly nodded, scooting over a bit as the red in her partner's eyes faded to lilac. "G-Got it."

"Good!" Yang had a cheery smile on and jumped out of bed, offering her hand to Blake. "Now why don't we spar a bit? I haven't had a one on one with you yet."

With the amount of small trust formed between the two, Blake felt she shouldn't deny the offer, so she took Yang's hand.

* * *

"I only have one more week." Willow said to herself as she was able to get most of her aura going, but it still took a lot out of her. Not only that, but she never did call her husband back, not wanting to waste any time. "I can do this." She closed her eyes, feeling the cold air on her body as she imagined her aura beginning at her feet.

The light around her feet started to shine, and it rose up her body, a bit faster than she had it going before. It wasn't enough though, as Willow wanted to have all of her aura up. "Some people tend to just have it go in one burst, others need it to start from one point."

Raven's words made Willow fight that much harder, since it was a challenge. She said nothing to her trainer, wanting to prove that even with the more difficult challenge, she could get two glyphs going.

"You're gonna overextend again." Raven sighed.

Again, she said nothing and when her aura reached the top of her head, everything felt clearer in her mind, more so now that she didn't need to focus on her aura growing. The last time she had her aura all over her body, it was exhilarating and that was what caused her to lose it once she brought out one glyph.

The black haired huntress bit her lip, surprised that Willow was able to use all of her aura again, so she waited.

The white haired woman opened her eyes, feeling a new sense of comfort. Like her body was able to finally accept a part of her that has been locked away. "Okay…" She held her hand out, imagining a spinning circle, but not a fast one. "Slowly." It was one breath she took, and a single glyph formed. It wasn't too big, but it was enough to usually make Willow lose her breath.

Raven watched the glyph, seeing it float in front of the other woman. " _This week really has given her a backbone…"_

The glyph disappeared, but not because Willow lost energy, but because she chose to make it disappear. She was panting a bit, not much, but a bit. "Once more." She closed her eyes, imagining the snow in front of her instead of using her eyes. After a moment, she kneeled down and placed her palm on the snow, a circle beginning to form under her, shocking Raven as it began to grow.

"H-Hey, don't overextend, id-." She stopped when the glyph was five times the size of the other glyph Willow used.

Willow held it for about ten seconds, but after that, she couldn't continue and the glyph disappeared, with her planting her hands on the snow and catching her breath. "I… I made two of them…"

Raven walked over, helping the woman up and letting her lean on her arm. "Didn't I say you would end up like this?"

"You said… I would knock myself out…" Willow grinned a little. "I didn't… And I made two glyphs… So now you have to keep… Your end of the deal." Between her words, she'd take deep breaths as Raven led her into the cabin.

"Ugh, I can't believe that was why you've been an idiot this past week." Raven moved her onto the bed, laying the woman down. "What is your problem?"

Willow shook her head. "I have a lot of those, Raven… This one not being one of them." She looked over at the fridge. "May I have a glass of water?"

Raven said nothing and walked over, opening the fridge as she poured her a glass. "You really are annoying, you know that." She placed the glass near the table, arms reach for Willow.

"My husband would agree with you," Willow chuckled. "Maybe the one thing you two could agree on." She reached over and sat up, taking a sip from the glass.

"Like I'd ever agree with that man." Raven said as she crossed her arms in disgust.

Willow couldn't help but laugh, making Raven sigh. "Come on. Lighten up a little." She set her glass down and smiled. "It's going to be fine, Raven."

"You say that." Raven wasn't convinced and took a seat on one of the chairs, looking deep into the fireplace. "Do you still want training, or was this it for you?"

"Of course I do." Willow answered. "Some days I may have to miss, mostly because Jacques has started using my son to get his words to me…" She trailed off for a moment. "He'll be home soon."

Raven looked over. "We all have our own demons."

"Yes. We do." Willow agreed as she laid back down.

"Hmm." Raven stood up. "I'll make us food when I get back. Stay here and rest up." The huntress walked outside, leaving Willow to her resting.

As she was out in the snow, she felt a strong wind, so she held her arm up to cover her eyes. Once the wind died down, she looked around, her eyes widening when she saw a figure in the distance. The figure however was one she had seen only once before, the shape of a massive wolf.

* * *

 **Yang is an angry older sister, even for Weiss. And yes, she can too understand where Blake is coming from. Doesn't mean she has to like what happened, but at least they patched things up, in a way.**

 **To JJ- For now, looks like at least Blake and Yang have talked about it, and don't worry, Weiss will have her talk with Blake when the time is right. And yeah, they're protective of her, but they'll need to learn that she can fight too, just like everyone else.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 24. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 25.**


	25. Two White Wolves

**Here's chapter 25, everyone.**

* * *

"You're making that face again, Weiss." Ruby grinned as she poked her partner on the cheek, making her grumble a bit as she opened her eyes to glare. "Hehe. Come on. I was just poking fun."

"Was… That supposed to be a pun? If it was, that was horrible and you should feel bad." Weiss replied, sitting against a tree out in the courtyard with Ruby. "And what face are you even talking about, you dork?"

Ruby giggled and laid back on the grass, looking up at the clouds while folding her hands behind her head. "You had your eyes closed and had on the biggest smile."

Weiss rolled her eyes, sighing happily at a cool breeze that hit her. "You know how much I enjoy being outside."

"I do, and I have to agree." Ruby lifted her arms up, feeling the same breeze. "How does this breeze feel compared to Atlas?"

"Hmm?" Weiss took a moment, feeling the breeze Vale had to offer. "Well, it's definitely not as cold, so it'll take some getting used to, but it feels… As comforting. Like nothing could bring my spirits down."

Ruby nodded in agreement. "When I swing around Crescent Rose, I can feel the burst of wind around me."

"Ever thought of spinning it around? It could act as a fan." Weiss chuckled.

"Don't give me ideas, Weiss." Ruby joined in on her partner's laughter. "How are you feeling now? I mean your heat stroke."

Weiss felt bad that she lied to Ruby, but she really wanted her to worry less. "Yes, well, I feel much better now, though… I'd honestly rather not go inside so soon."

"Fresh air, I know, and we don't have to. It's not that late." Ruby pulled her scroll out. "Yeah, see. It's only six."

"Well, don't wait up for me if you ever feel like going back inside, Ruby." Weiss sighed happily and closed her eyes, taking it the cool breeze again.

Ruby sat up and examined her partner, taking in how happy she looked and how her ponytail was flowing from the breeze. "Nah, I wanna be out here with you." She scooted over and sat next to her partner.

"Hmm." Weiss hummed, but thought about a question Yang asked her. "Um, Ruby, would… Would it be bad if I used my semblance?"

"Your semblance? Why would you use it?" Ruby asked, noticing her partner was blushing a bit.

Weiss opened her eyes and lifted herself up a bit, still keeping herself sitting against the tree. "W-Well, Yang asked me… If I ever used my semblance to just relax. So… I was thinking maybe I could right now."

Ruby's eyes widened in surprise. "R-Really? But I thought you didn't want anyone in the school knowing about it."

"I didn't, but I don't know." Weiss rubbed her arm. "One day I'd have to use it in a combat training course, so… Maybe I shouldn't worry so much about it."

"Hey, how come you don't want people to know? I never asked." Ruby wondered.

Weiss blushed harder, mumbling a bit. "M-My clothes, you dolt…"

"O-Oh." Ruby blushed as well, remembering the one problem Weiss would have when using her 'semblance'. "Well, if you're worried, I'll hold onto your clothes for you."

"W-Well I expected you to, but that's not the problem… It's if someone sees me when I change back." Weiss explained.

Ruby understood her concern and nodded. "I'll be your lookout. Promise." She gave her a reassuring smile, helping Weiss feel a little less nervous.

"Okay." Weiss took a breath. "Oh, and don't worry about my aura levels. I still have enough to change back before we go inside." With that in mind, Weiss looked around, seeing no one looking in their general direction, so she used her 'semblance', the same light covering her body as Ruby held her arm in front of her face, shielding her eyes.

When the light cleared, Ruby saw Weiss' clothes on top of the adult sized white wolf, so she smiled and stood up. "Wow, I know I've seen you like this before, but being awake to see you using your semblance is so cool." She didn't raise her voice since she didn't want to draw any unnecessary attention.

Weiss shook her clothes off, watching as the wolf pendant fell on the ground, so she whimpered a bit. "Ruby… Could you wrap my necklace around my neck again?"

Ruby chuckled and picked up Weiss' necklace. "Got it." She leaned over and tied the necklace around the white wolf. "There."

Weiss' tail swayed a bit as she laid on her belly and sighed happily. "Thank you, Ruby." The breeze blew passed them and she felt even better than before. "I love to savor days like this."

"Yeah, fighting Grimm is fun and all, but I can appreciate days like this too." Ruby said, sitting next to the white wolf. "I still can't believe it, y'know."

"Hmm?" Weiss slightly turned her head to face Ruby.

"Your semblance, us being here, being on the same team… It's all… Just so amazing." Ruby leaned back on the tree. "When I told my mom, she flipped out, Weiss." She giggled a little. "Dad had to calm her down from how excited she got."

"Mom told me she would." Weiss recalled, laying her head down on the grass.

Ruby nodded. "Still, I'm really happy how things went. Seeing you first and being on the same team as Yang."

Weiss lifted her head up, her tail swaying again. "It does seem a bit unbelievable when you put it that way. Were you expecting this though? I mean, us being together on a team when you were told about your advancement to Beacon."

"I was hopeful as soon as they told me." Ruby smiled at the memory. "Yang told me not to get my hopes up, but I kinda ignored her."

"And now not only are we partners, but your oaf of a sister is also on our team." Weiss said as she sat up. "But that's in the past now. All we have to do next is keep on moving, right?" She asked her partner, smiling at her.

Ruby grinned back. "Yup!" She scooted over, leaning on Weiss' soft fur. "Hehe. So soft."

"Don't get used to this, you dork." Weiss gently nuzzled Ruby, not caring that her tail was wagging back and forth in joy. "Hey… Have you felt homesick?"

"A little." Ruby answered, enjoying the nuzzling Weiss gave her. "Being here does make me not think about home as much since Yang told me how Beacon is our new home… But when there isn't a lot going on, then I do think about Patch."

"Does it hurt to think about?" Weiss inquired, trying to see if Ruby felt the same as her.

Ruby ran her hand through her hair, shaking her head a bit. "Not that it hurts, but more like I get the need to call mom or dad." She laid her hands down on the grass and looked up at Beacon. "We're here now though, our new home."

"It is where we sleep and eat… So yes, I suppose you are correct on this being our new home." Weiss sniffled a little. "I do miss my mom though, and Winter… And even Whitley."

"Even Whitley?" Ruby was a little confused at how she worded that. "What do you mean?"

Weiss whimpered at the memory, laying back down on her belly. "Whitley and I had a fight. It was the day I left for Beacon."

Ruby frowned at how sad she sounded, so she gently placed her hand on Weiss, rubbing her fur a bit. "What made you two fight? And… You mean like yelling, right?"

The white wolf blushed a bit when Ruby rubbed her fur, but she simply nodded. "Yes, yelling. He… Doesn't agree with my choice to attend Beacon."

"What? But you told him when you were kids." Ruby said, not stopping on rubbing her partner's fur. "Why would he suddenly bring this up on the day you were coming here?"

"I-I don't know." Weiss sniffled and her tail didn't move, showing she wasn't in any way happy. "We've grown distant these past few years, and… And at one point he called me a mutt." A tear fell.

Ruby's eyes widened as her hand froze on Weiss. She slowly lifted it up and stared down at her partner. "What…"

"It was that day you heard a glass shattering over a call… I went to go and see him, but when I tried asking what was wrong, he kept getting angry at me." Weiss started explaining, whimpering sadly as another tear fell. "He was just angry…"

"That isn't an excuse." Ruby growled, surprising Weiss. "Who the heck does he think he is calling you that?" Even though she was clearly angry, she kept her voice down for Weiss.

Weiss could hear the venom in Ruby's voice. "I wish I could give you an answer, Ruby." She moved her paw against the grass, thinking about what her brother was doing at the moment. "There is a lot I wanted to say to him that day, but all I did was yell at him…"

"He said something terrible and isn't trying to be supportive of you." Ruby stated. "You have every right to be mad."

"So? I shouldn't fight fire with fire." Weiss countered. "I should've done something else."

"It isn't fair on you to have to push back, Weiss. What Whitley said is wrong, and if he can get that through his thick skull, then he needs to be the one to apologize to you. Not the other way around." Ruby explained.

Weiss lifted her head up again, turning to face her partner. "I just want my brother back, Ruby…" The rose girl's eyes widened when she saw that Weiss was crying again, so she leaned in and hugged the white wolf. "I-I wish he didn't hate me…"

"He doesn't hate you." Ruby refused to let her partner believe that. "He's just being a big dumb idiot, but no matter what he says, I know he still loves you."

"A-And how would you know that?" Weiss questioned.

Ruby rubbed her partner's fur a bit, smiling at a memory. "Because I remember when we were younger, Whitley was behind you in a video call looking so happy when you told me about how you wanted to go to Beacon for the first time." Weiss tensed up a bit. "Somewhere deep down, that Whitley is still there."

Weiss' ears perked up a bit. "W-What if he doesn't show up again?"

"Don't think like that, silly." Ruby continued to gently rub her partner's back, feeling the soft white fur between her fingers. "You told me once that stress will make my hair white… Hehe, oh wait, you don't have to worry about that."

That got a light chuckle out of the white wolf and Ruby gently pulled away, giving her a cute smile, so Weiss blushed a little. "You're still such a dork."

Ruby giggled and nodded. "Yup! The dork with a partner who can turn into a wolf. Take that other dorks of Remnant."

Weiss rolled her eyes and sat up, leaning in to nuzzle Ruby who was glad she was feeling better. "Thank you."

"Any time, Weiss." Ruby rubbed her fur some more and felt a cool breeze.

After a few moments, Weiss pulled away and looked over at Beacon, sighing as she still had another problem to deal with. "I think rest is what I need right now, Ruby."

"Go on. I'm gonna be here with you all night if I have to." Ruby said, giving her a reassuring smile.

Usually Weiss would protest against that, but she honestly needed the nap, so she nodded and laid on her belly, shutting her eyes as she felt her partner rubbing her back a little, so her tail swayed a bit. "Wake me in an hour if that's okay, Ruby."

Like in the cave, it didn't take long for Weiss to fall asleep, and Ruby smiled at the light snores she heard from the white wolf.

* * *

The wind that blew against Raven grew stronger as the huntress stomped through the snow, keeping an eye on the giant wolf figure. It wasn't facing her, so she had the luck of that on her side, but the combination of walking through the snow, and the strong winds made her slower than she wanted.

"Is… Is that the same one?" Raven asked herself, watching as the giant wolf looked around, so she gasped and hid behind a rock she luckily was next to, keeping her out of sight when the wolf looked in her direction.

She waited a few minutes, peeking around the rock to see if the wolf was looking away from her. When she saw it though, it began to move, slowly, like it was making sure nothing was around it.

" _It can't be that same wolf… Can it?"_

The huntress shook her head, not wanting to waste time as she moved from behind the rock and followed, keeping to anything she could find as cover whenever the wolf would stop to look around.

"That wolf is not normal… It's… Not a Grimm though." Raven noted, remembering all the kinds of Grimm she's seen in her life. "Where is it going… And why is it even out here?" So many questions she knew she couldn't answer, so all she could do was continue to follow, but after a bit longer, the wolf stopped and growled, making Raven gasp as she tried to hide.

Even though she was hidden from sight behind a tree, the giant white wolf began to walk towards her direction. Its growling got louder the closer it got, and Raven reached for her blade.

"Damn it… Smell." Raven knew the wolf was able to catch her scent, so she sighed and unsheathed her blade, moving out from behind the tree to reveal herself. "Whatever you are! I'm not here to cut you down!" She attempted to reason with it.

The giant white wolf didn't care for her words and ran at her, with the intent to kill, so Raven jumped to the side, watching as the tree she had hidden behind moments ago was trampled. She bit her lip, knowing that she could fight the beast easily, but a suspicion in the back of her mind kept her from trying to harm it too much.

"Stop with this!" Raven yelled. "If you're what I think you are, then I'm not about to kill you!"

The wolf's ears perked up, but the years of being hunted made it shake its head as it growled and ran at Raven. The huntress swung her blade, using lightning dust to try and immobilize the wolf, but even when it hit it, the damage was minimal at best.

"Damn it." Raven cursed under her breath and rolled to the side when the beast tried to claw at her, seeing the snow it hit go everywhere. She knew if the beast even got a shot it, her aura wouldn't handle as much as it normally would. "Ugh!"

The giant white wolf was growing angrier as it howled up and its aura flared, shocking Raven. With the powered up aura it had, it charged much faster, and had more force, the snow under it flying all over as Raven had no time to dodge and held her blade sideways, getting hit by its claw.

It sent the huntress flying far, making her hit a rock and stopping her from getting further. Her aura flickered slightly, showing it took too much damage, and if she took another hit, it wasn't going to be pretty. "S-Son of a…" She lifted herself up, seeing the beast running towards her again. "Human or not?!"

That got the wolf to suddenly stop, looking deadly at the huntress as it wondered why the woman wouldn't know. If she wasn't trying to hunt it at least.

"A-Are you…" Raven groaned a bit. "A human… I… Saw you once before." She took a deep breath, trying to keep herself upright. "I'm not here, ugh… To fight you."

The white wolf was shocked, taking a step back as it thought about what the huntress was saying. It still growled a bit though, not fully convinced, but when she saw the woman drop her blade, the wolf's ears perked up and watched as she fell in a sitting position.

"Hell of a right hook you got there…" Raven fell to her side as she slowly began to close her eyes, but not before a light was cast on the wolf as darkness took over Raven's sight.

* * *

 **I'm pretty sure it's obvious who that is. And look, Weiss is starting to actually use her 'semblance' in public. It didn't take long to get her to feel okay doing that, seeing as she has Ruby there with her. Honestly, this is one of my favorite chapters to have written, since A: Weiss used her semblance in public without needing to for combat, and B: A certain someone is finally back.**

 **To JJ- With Blake, she has her own demons to deal with, but luckily she now has a partner who won't treat her like, well her last partner. As for Raven, she may be a bit of a stubborn one at times, but she'll at least honor an agreement, though looks like she has something else to get out of first, if she can get out of it that is.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 25. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 26.**


	26. A Compromise

**Here's chapter 26, everyone.**

* * *

Ruby looked at the time on her scroll and wondered if Weiss was going to be alright waking up, so she gently rubbed the white wolf's back a few times. "Hey." She smiled when the wolf whimpered a bit in her sleep, so she moved her hands to her ears, but hesitated, not wanting to treat Weiss like that, so she pulled her hand back. "Weiss, time to get up." Ruby spoke softly, watching as the wolf slowly opened her eyes.

"Hmm?" Weiss lifted her head up, looking around as it was a bit darker from before. "R-Ruby?" She yawned, making her partner giggle a bit as she sat up. "What time is it?"

"Nine." When Ruby noticed Weiss' ears droop a little, she rubbed her fur some. "Don't worry, Weiss. You know curfew isn't until ten."

"T-That's not it." Weiss responded, enjoying the rubs. "You stayed here for three hours, you dolt."

Ruby turned her head in confusion. "Well yeah. What's wrong with that?"

Weiss rolled her eyes. "You didn't need to sit here for three hours just to let me sleep, you dolt. I wouldn't have minded you waking me up earlier."

"What can I say?" Ruby smiled. "I like being out here with you."

That made Weiss blush a little and the white wolf looked over at her clothes that Ruby neatly kept in a pile. "F-Fine, but we should start heading back inside."

Ruby nodded in response. "Right." She stood up and looked around. "No one is looking this way, so you should be good to change back."

Weiss took a breath and focused on her aura. "U-Um, could you maybe put your cloak over me so… I have at least something on?"

It was Ruby's turn to blush, so she quickly took her cloak off and gently placed it over the white wolf. "There." She made sure to look around once more, seeing students walking into the school as they were the last two outside. "It looks like we're the only ones out here, so just stay behind the tree and I'll make sure no one comes out from the school and walks over."

"Thank you." Weiss silently said, walking behind the tree they had been resting at for those three hours. Ruby looked away from the tree and could still see the shining light, since it was bright enough. "C-Could you hand me my clothes…"

Ruby's took a deep breath and her blush was evident as she scooted over to Weiss' clothes, still not turning around to respect her friend's privacy. "Y-Yeah, got em right here." She did her best to back into the tree and move her hand around it while not looking still. "C-Can you reach it?"

"Mhmm." Weiss didn't say much else as she took the clothes. After a few minutes, the white haired teen coughed to get Ruby's attention. "O-Okay, I'm done."

She hesitated for a moment, but when Ruby turned around, she saw Weiss, back to being human, though her hair was down. "Your hair. It's not in a ponytail."

Weiss grabbed some of her hair and ran her hand through it. "I-I like to keep it down sometimes. Does it look okay…"

"Of course it does." Ruby assured, blushing slightly still, but not because of the idea of her friend being naked, but because she found Weiss to be really pretty. The words died down on her tongue though, as she couldn't think of anything and simply stared at her partner.

"Ruby?" Weiss looked a little concerned and snapped her fingers in front of the rose girl's face. "Ruby Rose."

"Huh?" Ruby shook her head a bunch and looked side to side. "Oh, uh, what?"

"You were just… Staring. Ugh, did you even try to rest yourself in those three hours?" Weiss questioned as she crossed her arms, believing it was just Ruby being tired.

"Hehe." Ruby rubbed the back of her head. "Not really, but… Um, why don't we get inside like you said." Weiss sighed and lowered her arms, walking passed the rose girl. "W-Wait up!" Ruby ran over, catching up to her partner as she took in her long hair, loving how it flowed down.

"You are getting a good night's sleep, Ruby Rose." Weiss said in a stern tone.

Ruby pouted a bit. "Weiiiiiissss!" She whined. "I'm not even that tired."

"Clearly you are, or else you wouldn't have been standing there just staring off into the void." Weiss reminded.

"I-It's not like it was because I'm tired." Ruby said quietly, making the white haired teen stop to face her partner. "W-What?"

Weiss held her hands on her hips. "Tell me then, why else would you be staring for so long?"

Ruby didn't want to admit she was simply admiring her looks, but she also didn't want to lie to her. "I just… Never really get to see you with your hair like that as much."

"O-Oh, well… You don't need to stare at someone for their hairstyle choice, you dunce." She turned around and crossed her arms, not wanting to let Ruby see her blush.

"S-Sorry." Ruby rubbed the back of her head. "If it makes you feel better, I think it looks good."

"Thank you…" Weiss mouthed as she walked towards the school.

Ruby sighed to herself, feeling like she messed up or something, so she followed close behind, wondering if Weiss would be annoyed with her for the night. " _Yang is gonna make fun of me for days if I tell her about this…"_

* * *

Yang was grinning as she held her fists out at Blake, keeping her stance up as she took a few breaths. "Gotta say, you're one of the few who can figure out how to deal with me."

Blake shrugged and swapped to Gambol Shroud's pistol mode as she aimed at the blonde. "After you told me about your semblance, it was all I really needed to know." She thought about Adam's weapon and how it would gather up enough damage to dish out a counter, multiplied by the enemy's attacks.

"Just cause I have a weakness, doesn't mean you'll get an easy win." Yang fired back with her smug grin. "Go on. Take a few shots."

"Baiting me won't work." Blake stated as the two stared each other down, but after a moment, Blake shot at Yang, though only near her feet, so the blonde jumped back and Blake used her semblance to get in close.

Yang smirked and predicted where she would be, swiping Blake's legs out from under her when she appeared in front of Yang, making her gasp. "Gotcha!" She quickly grabbed Blake by the arm and held her up. "Wanna call it there?"

Blake grumbled a bit, finding it hard to believe that her partner could've predicted her movements. "Fine… It's been a few hours after all." She felt Yang pull her back on her feet and watched the blonde wipe her forehead of some sweat.

"You're telling me." Yang stretched. "Didn't think you'd give me this good of a workout. Thanks." She gave her partner a cheeky grin, who rolled her eyes in return.

"We should get back before ten." Blake reminded, putting Gambol Shroud in its holster.

"Right. Don't want Goodwitch to get on our asses about it." Yang joked as she and Blake left the training room. "Hey, if Weiss is there-."

"I'll apologize." Blake finished her sentence.

"I wasn't gonna say that." Yang sighed. "I was just gonna ask if you wanted to maybe talk to her a bit early."

"She won't want to even more than me." Blake stated, remembering the look on Weiss' face when she accidentally slapped her. "You didn't see how she ran off…"

Yang stopped and held Blake's arm to keep her from walking. "No, but I spoke with her if you don't remember. Hell… I feel kinda bad for talking to you about it, since she wanted to handle this herself."

Blake was surprised by that. "She does?"

"Yup." Yang released Blake's arm. "Something she mentioned about Ruby being too worried about her made her a little upset. It's like she thinks we don't see her as able to deal with her own problems alone."

"Then how does me confronting her about it prove her wrong?" Blake questioned.

"Because it's you two talking it through, no one else." Yang explained, but then she walked over to lean her elbows on one of the window sills, looking out at the moon. "I won't force you to, Blake. You know that."

The black haired huntress in training looked over, noticing how Yang was staring up at the moon. "I'll… Try."

"Thanks." Yang continued looking at the moon, watching its mystery. "Go on. I'll catch up soon."

Blake was a little nervous without Yang being there, but she saw how the blonde seemed to want to stay behind, so she nodded and walked back to the dorm.

* * *

"Hey, Ruby! Hey, Weiss!" Nora greeted when she saw the two walking over. "Where have you two been this whole time?"

Weiss sighed at the amount of excitement the girl possessed. "If you really need to know, we were out in the courtyard."

"Ooh, how come?" Nora's interests grew.

Weiss looked confused at why she even wanted to know, but Ruby beat her to the answer. "Sometimes schoolwork is soooo boring, so we just wanted to get some fresh air."

Nora grinned. "Two partners outside together, probably sitting under a tree. You know what they say about that."

Ruby turned her head in confusion, and Weiss looked like she wanted to bite Nora's head off while Ren walked out of the dorm, since the door to it was wide open. "Nora, leave them alone."

"But-." Nora yelped when she saw Ren's glare, since she knew that meant he wouldn't make her any breakfast if she continued to be annoying, so she ran back inside and got under her blankets.

Ren sighed. "Sorry about that."

"Don't be…" Weiss groaned a little. "I deal with Yang's teasing, so I have enough practice dealing with it." She looked over Ren's shoulder, noticing how the orange haired girl was hiding under the blanket. "How did you do that?"

"Getting her to hide?" When Weiss nodded, he shrugged. "One day I told her I wouldn't make her breakfast if she didn't stop bugging this one girl a few years ago, and it just stuck with me."

Weiss rolled her eyes. "And she asks me questions about my wolf form, yet she seems to act more like a puppy than anyone."

Ren chuckled a bit. "She has her moments too. Just let her show you that when she isn't too hyper."

The white haired teen raised an eyebrow. "Isn't she always hyper?"

"That's… Hmm. Well, just let her prove she can be more than a hyperactive question asker." Ren requested, and Weiss crossed her arms, looking over at the girl hidden under the blanket.

"Fine." Weiss responded and turned around to enter her dorm. "Just make sure she doesn't bombard me with ridiculous questions again."

"Will do." With that, Ren walked back inside and closed the door behind him.

Ruby walked in behind Weiss and plopped on her bed. "Soooo, have you thought about maybe helping me move these beds around? They're kinda…" She looked around, seeing how crooked three of them were, and how one was too close to the wall. "All over the place."

Weiss held her hand against her forehead and shook her head in disappointment. "One week and we still haven't fixed these beds up." She lowered her hand. "Alright, well let's get started then."

"Right!" Ruby jumped off from her bed and before she or Weiss could start moving the beds, the door opened, revealing Blake. "Oh, hey, Blake. We were just about to move the beds around. Wanna help?"

Blake was still really nervous as she held her arm and looked over at Weiss, who immediately looked away. "I… Would rather talk with Weiss, if that's okay, Ruby."

"Oh, well… Okay? I mean, she's right there, so go ahead." Ruby insisted.

"I meant alone, Ruby." Blake reiterated and Ruby looked between both Weiss and Blake, now realizing that her white haired friend was avoiding looking and talking with the black haired girl.

"Um, yeah, sure." Ruby was a little concerned and walked over to the doorway. "If you guys need anything, I'll, uh, be down the hall." She closed the door behind her.

Weiss was turned away, not wanting to even look at Blake. "What do you want?"

Blake sighed, moving her hand away from her arm. "To say that I'm sorry."

"Hmph." Weiss crossed her arms.

"I'm serious, Weiss. I never meant to hit you. I was just… Startled. A Schnee laying their hands on me… I just didn't enjoy that, okay." Blake admitted.

Weiss dropped her arms and spun around with an annoyed look on her face. "It goes back to my name. And you know, I'm just not sure why you even feel like your apology will do anything here."

"I'm trying!" Blake yelled.

"Well if you really wanted to try, you'd stop comparing me to my father!" Weiss fired back.

Blake clenched her fist and took a step forward. "It's hard to do that, alright! When you've gone through what I have, you don't know how it can be to see you or your family…"

"My mother and sister are fine examples of how a Schnee can really be! And… And I'd like to show others that from me as well, but for some ridiculous reason, you won't allow me to." Weiss challenged.

"Because I've been hurt by your stupid dust company before!" Blake stomped her right foot against the ground and Weiss was taken aback. "You don't know how badly people are affected by that company of yours… All you had to worry about was sitting in that manor of yours and letting the world spin beneath you."

"H-How dare you!" Weiss stepped forward, clenching her fists in anger after letting her arms fall to her sides.

"How dare I? Oh, yeah that's the response." Blake glared. "What was it like for you, huh? Living in a manor, no troubles, no days where you feel the want to cry because you watch as your race gets treated like garbage just because they aren't human." She hissed.

Weiss' eyes widened at that, frozen on the spot as she had no idea.

Blake gasped and held her hand to her mouth, realizing what she had said.

"You're…" Weiss reached out to the now exposed Faunus, who backed away, not wanting the Schnee to touch her. "W-Wait, look, I-." She yelped when Blake tried to slap her hand away.

"Don't touch me, Schnee…" Blake growled.

"Is… Is that why?" Weiss didn't need to ask, but the pain of how Blake was treating her made her question it.

Blake bit her lip and punch the wall behind her, making Weiss gasp lightly. "What do you think…"

Weiss frowned, looking down at the floor. "When… When you found out I was going to be on your team…"

"I didn't want it." Blake answered before Weiss could even finish her question. "I don't like your family, and never will… But," Weiss lifted her head up. "Yang asked me to try talking to you… And honestly I don't see why I even did."

"Yang." Weiss repeated her friend's name. "Do you… Still not want me to be on your team?"

"You ask a lot of questions." Blake remarked, hating that the Schnee knew her secret.

The girl reached her hand up to her cheek where Blake slapped her, making her sniffle. "Why haven't you tried to go to someone about having you moved to another team instead then?"

"Because I deal with what I am given." Blake stated.

Weiss bit her lip. "Is that what I am to you? Something to deal with?"

"I… I don't know what you are to me, Weiss." Blake leaned against the wall, wishing she never spoke to Weiss about what had happened. "We're teammates, whether I like it or not, and now you know something about me."

Weiss sighed. "If you think I'll tell anyone, I won't."

Blake was a bit surprised by her word. "Is that right?"

"It's not my business, Blake." Weiss felt something though, like a need to speak up, so she regained her posture. "Still, it's like you said, we're teammates now, and nothing will change that. So whatever you have against me and my family, drop it when we're out there on the field."

"I'm not a child." Blake stated.

"I never said you were, but I have to be sure you won't let something like this trouble our team." Weiss walked over, standing three feet away from the Faunus. "Ruby and Yang mean a lot to me, so if they get hurt because you chose to let some grudge cause problems with our team dynamics, you'll have to do more than smack me in the face to stop me from what I'd do."

Hearing a threat from a Schnee was anger inducing, but it wasn't the same as if Jacques Schnee threatened her. Weiss used her words to show how protective she was of her friends. "Alright… I get it."

"Good." Weiss turned and walked over to one of the beds. "Now, if you remember, Ruby asked if you could help us with our beds. So will you or not?"

Blake couldn't believe after how the two spoke, she was still willing to speak to Blake and ask her for help. "I… Fine." She walked over to one of the other beds and began taking the sheets off.

Weiss looked away and took a breath, the new information about Blake was a lot to take in, but she would keep her promise and not tell a soul.

* * *

 **And now Weiss knows a bit more about Blake. Sorry about not covering the last chapter's cliffhanger, but it'll be worth it. One issue at a time after all, though they still need to work on some stuff. Weiss and Blake that is.**

 **To JJ- Wolf Weiss is one of my favorite versions of her to write, so yes, wolf in the sun is cute. And looks like you got to see Weiss and Blake talk a lot sooner than you wondered. Still, it doesn't mean that they're friends yet. Only that Blake will try not to ruin their team structure because of her grudge against the Schnee Family.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 26. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 27.**


	27. Meeting The Marked

**Here's chapter 27, everyone.**

* * *

"Um… I don't think we're the best at interior decorating." Weiss remarked as the four girls looked at the beds, now even more messy than they were before. "How did this even happen?"

Yang rubbed the back of her yellow mane. "Well, I mean my bed isn't as close to the wall now." She said, looking at how her bed was more in the middle, but was facing the wrong direction.

"We could, and don't be afraid to agree with me, make them bunk beds!" Ruby suggested with a cheer.

"Bunk beds?" Weiss raised an eyebrow. "Ruby, we don't have the tools for that."

Ruby pulled out some rope and books from the drawer. "Balancers! See, they can so work." She saw the looks on her team's faces. Weiss looked concerned, Blake looked unimpressed and Yang gave her sister a questioning look. "What?"

"That is incredibly dangerous, you dolt." Weiss explained.

Blake looked at the books in Ruby's hands and glared. "And those are MY books, Ruby."

"Uh… I was just gonna borrow them?" Ruby chuckled nervously.

Yang wrapped an arm around her partner. "Well, it does sound like the only way we'll have more room in here, and it shouldn't be too hard. We fight monsters for a living after all."

"This is completely different from fighting monsters, you oaf." Weiss reminded.

"Hey, I'm just trying to get to sleep already. And if we need to move the beds around a bit, then let's just get it done." Yang reasoned.

Weiss grumbled at the thought of having such dangerous bunk beds. "Fine."

It seemed like an hour had gone by, but when they had finally finished up, the bunk beds were set up in the way Weiss expected them to be. "Well, it could be worse." Yang commented.

"It could be much better." Weiss responded, sighing at the work they had done, looking at the ropes that held up Ruby's bed over hers. "Why did I agree to take the bottom bunk again?"

"Because you're thoughtful of Ruby?" Yang guessed, earning a glare.

"That thing might fall on me one day…" Weiss expressed her concern.

Ruby wrapped an arm around her partner. "Well we can still switch if you want. I really don't mind, Weiss."

"No, it's… It's fine, Ruby." Weiss assured. "Still, one of these days we really need to speak with Ozpin instead to just have someone set these up for us."

Blake spoke up next, trying to keep some semblance of non tension between her and Weiss. "I don't think he'd allow that to be honest."

Weiss sighed in response. "Ugh, let's just get some sleep, please."

Ruby released her arm around Weiss and jumped up in the air, happy their first 'team activity' was completed. "Right! Time to change into our pajamas. Leader's orders." She crossed her arms proudly.

"Um, we were already doing that, Ruby." Weiss said as she was already changing.

"Oh…" Ruby looked disappointed.

Yang chuckled as she tossed her jacket on her bed. "Sheesh, sis. I didn't think you'd try pulling the leader card this soon."

"W-What? No I was just trying to show you guys that I can be a good leader and how we can get things done as a team together is all." Ruby defended.

"You know you don't have to do that with such a thing as changing into our pajamas, Ruby." Weiss said as she began slipping her nightgown on. "Yang, could I use your brush?"

The blonde grabbed it from her drawer and tossed it to her white haired friend. "Don't worry about handing it back to me. Just leave it on the table if anything." She said while changing into her black shorts and orange shirt.

Weiss nodded and walked over to the mirror to brush her hair, while she saw Blake looking at her in the reflection of the mirror. She let out a quiet sigh and chose not to pay attention to her.

"Well, I'm all tuckered out." Ruby yawned, doing her best to climb up on her bed, while Weiss grimaced when she saw it swaying a bit. "Have a goodnight, team!" She threw her blanket over her, not seeing how nervous Weiss was.

"Ugh. Sleeping under a death trap. Wonderful." Weiss continued to brush her hair, not looking forward to the anxiety of trying to sleep that night.

* * *

Raven groaned as she slowly opened her eyes, feeling her head was laid against a soft surface. "Ugh, my head…" She reached her hand to the back of her head to check for any bleeding. "Where the hell am I?" The huntress sat up and looked around, seeing the metal walls surrounding her.

With a gasp, the huntress instantly was to her feet, reaching for her blade, but finding it not to be there. "You won't find it where you last kept it." A voice said, making Raven spin around and her eyes widened.

Her small form was illuminated by the moonlight. The woman stood tall like years of hard work hadn't worn her down, except that couldn't be said for her clothes.

Around her neck was a white scarf that was torn and frayed at the ends. Her bobbed hair was barely locked underneath the light fabric. The scar that was just above her lip was just as distinctive as the pale blue eyes that pierced the calm night.

Her black sweater was like a dress that silhouetted into the night sky. Since it was lightweight, there were more layers underneath to keep her warm.

The leggings had been stretched from overuse, and her thin black boots had seen better days. There were splotches of brown and damp spots from trekking in the snow.

"And who might you be?" The huntress kept her guard up, even without a weapon, she was still a capable fighter.

"That's my question to you." The white haired woman asked, not showing any worry to how guarded Raven was being. "You follow me in the snow and expect me to answer questions first?"

Raven took a few moments, taking in what this woman said to her as she blinked a few times. "You're the wolf…" A nod. "Why the hell did you attack me when I told you I wasn't here to fight you?" Raven gave the woman a glare.

"Liars." The mystery woman said, getting a sigh from Raven. "Up and trusting anyone can get you killed."

"Honestly… I agree with you." Raven replied, knowing that she herself did in fact follow that ideology. "Still, I have zero reason to bring harm to you besides defending myself."

"That remains to be seen." The white haired woman spoke, walking over to the spot Raven was laying on before as she leaned down to pick up the small blanket. "Tell me why you followed me."

Raven knew that she would be interrogated, but she would accept the questions as the woman the way she was couldn't hurt her as much as she could as a wolf. "Because I've seen you years ago, in Atlas."

The woman was surprised. "When?"

"I don't remember exactly how many years ago, but all I can say is seeing a giant wolf turning into a woman was one of the more… Confusing things to see that day." Raven explained as she crossed her arms, looking for her blade.

"What reason would you need to follow someone like me then? So what? I can transform. Why do you care?" The woman questioned, not caring how rude she sounded.

"Answers. That's all. Though, thinking about it, you believed I would attack you on sight, so clearly there are others who would." Raven remarked.

"You would assume correct." The woman said, closing her eyes for a moment as she let out a breath, the cold air showing. "The marked."

Raven was unclear on what she meant. "The marked?"

"My name is Lazuria." The white haired woman suddenly said, surprising Raven as she had no reason to trust her. "And the marked are those who have been traced. Hunted."

"You're not making any sense here." Raven responded in an annoyed tone.

Lazuria sighed as she dropped a fire dust crystal on the ground near some wood left on the cave floor and made it go off, letting off some heat in the cave. "What do you think I am?"

"Couldn't tell you. You're a mystery for years… But if I had to take a wild guess, I'd say you're a fairy tale." Lazuria actually chuckled at that.

"Yes, to some I would be." Lazuria moved the blanket she had on the floor and sat on it. "Something that should stay in a book is what those who hunt me refer to me as."

Raven looked over at the cave entrance, sighing a bit. "Look, whatever you're dealing with, I don't really see what I can do. So tell me why you even dragged me in here when you could've left me for dead."

"I may be a wolf, but I am no animal." Lazuria stated as she moved her hands close to the fire for its warmth. "And knowing who you are, and who you know… I can say I'm glad I didn't leave you for dead."

"My scroll…" Raven cursed under hear breath at how she let someone figure her out via her scroll.

"Mhmm." Lazuria reached into her pocket and tossed it over to the huntress. "Passwords are very easy to break through."

"Ugh, okay, well you know me, but exactly who do I know that makes you glad I ain't dead?" Raven questioned.

Lazuria smiled at the fire, thinking about the person Raven knows. "Willow."

Raven was surprised that it was Willow of all people. Not a huntress or a huntsman, but Willow Schnee. "And what is your connection with Willow Schnee?"

"Nothing you have to worry about." Lazuria said, getting up and walking over to the cave entrance.

"You say you wouldn't trust anyone so easily, yet you've not only told me your name, but you've shown your back to me." Raven stated.

Lazuria looked over her shoulder, the bags under her eyes evident. "Willow Schnee. You know her enough to have her on your contacts list." She turned her attention back outside, taking in the snow of the land. "How do you know her?"

Raven walked over, standing next to the woman as she looked forward as well. "I believe I asked you first."

"You did, and I have no reason to tell you that, so do you wish to give me the same answer?" Lazuria asked, choosing not to let the huntress get her answer.

"A friend, if you could say that." Raven remarked. "The idiot tends to stick her nose in my business… But for good intentions I suppose."

Lazuria didn't like what Raven called her old friend. "You would do well to respect her."

"And you would do well to not show how connected you are with her when you said I shouldn't need to know." Raven countered.

"Hmm." Lazuria said as she kept her eyes trained on the land. "You last contacted her a week ago. May I ask-."

"She's not too far, at least I assume so since I'm not one hundred percent sure where you've taken me yet." Raven answered before the woman could finish her sentence. "I've been training her."

Lazuria's eyes widened at that and she turned to face the huntress. "T-Training her? What for?"

Her concern was evident, and Raven sighed. "She isn't that great with aura, so in turn she can barely use her semblance. I've been helping her learn how to not fall over after casting a single glyph."

Still concerned for her old friend, Lazuria continued. "Why would she need to learn that stuff… Are there people after-?"

"Relax. She's just taking precautions. You never know who can target the Schnee family and I offered to train her. She accepted." Raven left out the other parts. "Willow is in a cabin that I believe isn't too far from here if where you knocked me out isn't far."

"It… Isn't." Lazuria covered her face with a wolf mask. "Come. I'll show you where I hid your weapon, and then you can leave."

Raven grabbed her shoulder, keeping her from running off. "Hold the hell on. You knock me out, bring me to some cave, tell me you know Willow and now you're ordering me to leave? Yeah, no, answers. One being, what is the marked?"

Lazuria growled, making Raven pull her hand away. "The marked are hunted. You don't have a clue what that's like, so shut up and leave when I give you your weapon back."

"And Willow?" Raven crossed her arms, Lazuria stopping in her tracks as she lowered her head. "You clearly have a connection with her that seems pretty damn important. So talk."

"She… Is a friend… No, a sister who is an angel. Willow gave me something I could continue living on for." Lazuria explained, leaving out many important details.

"And what would that be?" Raven questioned.

"Hope." Lazuria said, moving out of the cave entrance.

Raven sighed and lowered her arms as she followed the white haired woman. " _Why can't Summer ever deal with these kind of problems…"_

* * *

Willow sniffled a bit, sneezing as she got out of bed and looked out of the cabin window, noticing that Raven still wasn't back yet. "Where is she?" She looked at her scroll and sighed, seeing the five missed calls from her husband, and one missed call from her son. "I must've instinctively left it on vibrate…"

It was late enough to excuse herself from contacting them, but she did take note of the one text she received from her son.

 _Mother, I'd like to inform you that father and I will have to postpone our return to Atlas, as it seems a few more deals have been attained. I expect to hear from you soon, since father has continued to express his discomfort with you ignoring his calls._

The way her son wrote the message out made Willow frown, so she set her scroll on the bed and rubbed her arm. "I wish I had left with them… I could've… I should've." Willow felt her tears falling, thinking about all the times Summer told her to leave Jacques. "Why didn't I listen?" More tears fell, as the only true reason she ever gave herself was keeping her family from falling apart, but to her, that very fear was beginning to become reality.

She wiped her eyes, not wanting to cry any further. Willow took a seat on one of the chairs, looking at the fireplace that seemed to comfort her in the times she felt the most stressed.

" _Winter, Weiss, Whitley… I love you three so very much, and I wish I hadn't let your father hurt you."_

While Whitley was the one most affected by Jacques' influence, he still did cause the entire family pain, from belittling Winter's choice in profession, and even taking her heiress status away, but also how he ignored Weiss for most of her life.

Willow bit her lip, hating the man she called her husband with a burning passion.

* * *

 **And Raven got to meet the white wolf. We'll see what comes of that later on, but for now, everyone has their own issues to deal with.  
**

 **Also wanna thank TotoTail for helping on the clothes and overall look for Lazuria on this chapter.**

 **To JJ- More team building, kinda. And more feelings being developed. I am a slow burn kind of person for most of my stuff, so yeah, it'll be a bit longer, but I have stuff planned. And yeah, I felt a little sparring match would be fun for those two, and to help them know each other more by actually spending time together.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 27. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 28.**


	28. Relentless

**Here's chapter 28, everyone.**

* * *

"Here." Lazuria threw Raven her weapon when she picked it up out of the snow she hid it in. "Didn't feel like hiding it in the cave, and before you complain about how cold it is, don't."

Raven rolled her eyes, keeping her sheathed weapon on its holster. "Why hide it in the first place?"

"Can't be too careful." Lazuria replied. "Say I had it on my person, you could easily take it back from me and strike me down."

"Didn't you literally give me your name and showed me your back not a bit ago?" Raven questioned, wondering how this woman made any sense.

"I didn't know you yet, not your name or your connection to Willow." Her mask muffled her voice a bit as she kept a close watch for anyone around.

Raven noticed how she was looking around, so she scanned the area as well. "If this marked thing or whatever you call it will be an issue out here, tell me right now. Willow is out here and she isn't about to defend herself that well."

Lazuria tensed up a bit. "They wouldn't target her… So hurry and leave. You don't need to be here any longer."

"At least explain what marked means, then I'll go." Raven continued pressing on.

The masked woman sighed. "Marked by The Relentless is a death sentence." Her voice was weaker than before, years of being marked finally beginning to catch up to her. "You get marked, you lose the life you once had."

Raven had no clue who the group was. No records were known of them, at least any she had read. "Okay, so if you're being hunted, then why not kill the ones who marked you?"

Lazuria chuckled darkly. "You don't think I haven't done that…"

"How are they tracking you?" Raven questioned.

"Enough questions. I'm tired and hungry." Lazuria said, walking forward and away from Raven. "Go to Willow, and do NOT tell her about me."

"And if I do?" Raven asked, not backing down.

"Then I won't be the only one considered hunted." Lazuria turned around and said in a low tone, growling a bit to get her point across, but Raven wasn't phased by it, so she clenched her fists. "I have no other options besides begging…" The white haired marked woman got on her knees and bowed, showing how serious she was.

Raven was taken aback by that and she sighed, walking over and pulling the woman up. "Get up." With Lazuria back on her feet, Raven continued. "Can you at least say why I shouldn't talk to her about this?"

Lazuria held her arm, squeezing it like she had something to hide, but she couldn't if it meant Raven telling Willow about her. "She lives a better life without me around… A safer one, and her daughter as well."

"Daughter? Which one?" Raven inquired.

"It… Look, please just don't tell her." Lazuria pleaded.

Raven couldn't tell, but her eyes were pleading as well behind the wolf mask. "If what you're saying is true and she'll be safer without you… Then fine. You have my word that she won't know you were out here."

Lazuria felt relieved and she nodded. "Thank you… Now… If you want to know more about The Marked, and The Relentless, don't just stick to fairy tales." With that, she turned and ran off before the huntress could do or say anything else.

"Ugh… More shit to deal with another day I guess." Raven said, annoyed a bit at what had transpired, but felt something, like an urge to figure out what was happening with this woman she had met.

" _The Marked, her… And The Relentless, who I assume are the ones after her. There has to be more of those Marked people out there if an entire group was formed and kept hidden."_

Her thoughts on the matter started to annoy the huntress even more so, making her wish she could've just ignored the wolf, but she knew she couldn't.

* * *

"Maybe I should just call her." Willow said to herself since Raven still hadn't returned. As she reached over to grab her scroll, she glanced over at the window and saw the huntress walking over. "Or I could wait literally seconds."

Raven walked in, shivering a bit from being outside so long. "Don't ask."

Willow blinked a few times, not knowing why her trainer looked irritated. "Um, okay? Do you want anything to eat at least? You were out there for awhile."

"Stop trying to get around asking the question." Raven grumbled as she sat near the campfire. "And yes, I'm hungry, but after your attempts at making a fire-."

"Not once will you let me live that down!" Willow exclaimed.

"I won't, no, but you've only been able to make like, two or three things in this cabin that's even passable for edibility." Raven reminded.

Willow huffed and held her hands on her hips in an offended manner. "Because what you have is bare minimum at best. I can't work with this!" She whined.

"What? Too used to the luxurious cuisine of the Schnee Manor?" Raven smirked, making Willow seeth. "Or is it the butlers? Should I go and hire one for you, Mrs. Schnee?" Her mocking voice was on point to how a butler would speak with her.

"Raven… Branwen…" Willow clenched her fists and stomped over as she stood above the sitting woman.

"Willow Schnee." Raven kept on firing back.

"One more word, and I kick you into that fireplace…" Willow threatened, her right eye twitching a bit in anger as Raven held her arms up in defense.

"Okay, okay. Don't get all twitchy on me." Raven said, standing up and stretching a bit as Willow took a step back. "Look, take what you can get in here. It's not like I stocked this place up all that much. Hell the water I give you to drink is some I just fill up from the lakes."

"W-What?!" Willow exclaimed and wanted to spit out any of the water she had drank in that time, but it wasn't exactly possible.

Raven raised an eyebrow. "You didn't really complain about it when you drank some, so I don't see the problem here, or do you have problems with drinking a fish's home?"

"Raven!" Willow shouted as the two women began to bicker back and forth.

* * *

The next few days seemed to go by well for Team RWBY. Blake did her best to not cause any tension between her and Weiss, but did keep her distance still. It was the best the white haired teen would get from her till the recently discovered Faunus would even think about speaking with her.

"Hey, Blake." Ruby greeted as she stepped into their dorm room. "Where were you after class? I was hoping you coulda been with us to try out this really, really could idea I had."

Blake looked over from her bed at her team leader, not one to speak with her as much as she would Yang since they first formed the team. "Oh, I just, felt like coming back here is all. What idea?"

"Team attacks names!" Ruby proudly cheered, while Blake raised an eyebrow in response. "Now hear me out. On the field, we'll need more than just me calling out to one of you guys to team up with another to do something really cool, right? So I feel like it'll be waaaaaaay easier to just have team attack names we can memorize."

"Hmm." The cat Faunus sat on the edge of her bed, actually agreeing in mind with her team leader. "That could work, though shouldn't we work on the attack coordination itself before trying to think of names?" A thought about having to coordinate an attack with Weiss entered her mind for a split second.

"Duh." Ruby let out a smile, giddy with excitement at the idea. "So, do you wanna try and get Weiss and Yang to come with us to start working on that?"

Blake knew her answer already, but since Ruby was the only one on the team who had no clue she and Weiss had difficulties with each other, she didn't know if she could give her that answer. "I-I don't know. I was hoping to just-."

"Ruby!" Weiss shouted as she walked into the dorm, making her partner yelp. "What did I say about using your semblance in the halls?! You left all those rose petals on the ground, you dunce."

Blake looked away, using that as an excuse to get away from Ruby's request, while the team leader chuckled nervously. "S-Sorry, Weiss. I was just really excited, and besides, my rose petals disappear after a bit."

"Ugh, you still left me in the hallway with it." Weiss complained as she glanced over at Blake, who wasn't looking back at her, so she sighed a bit and looked back at Ruby. "Why did you even run off anyways?"

"I was reaaaalllly wanting to ask Blake about our team attack talk." Ruby answered, and Weiss had a feeling the cat Faunus, she only knew was a cat Faunus, would even want to participate.

"Well you should be patient about that, Ruby." Weiss said as she walked over to one of the drawers. "Besides," She decided to give the cat Faunus an out. "I'd rather we take a break today. Last few days have been a lot of training, wouldn't you say?"

Ruby pouted. "Awwww, but team attacks, Weiss!"

"What did I say about whining, Ruby? It won't get you what you want." Weiss repeated the words her sister told her all those years ago.

"Ugh, fine, but what else would we do today?" Ruby asked.

"Well, it's still early enough in the day to go to Vale if you'd like." Weiss suggested, but when Yang walked in, they noticed how excited the blonde looked.

"Ruby!" Yang shouted and ran up to her sister, pulling her into a hug that surprised all three of the girls in the room. "You are not gonna believe who's here!"

As she was being suffocated by her sister's bear hug, Ruby attempted to pull away for air. "Can't… Breathe… Weiss… Help…"

Weiss rolled her eyes and walked over, prying the blonde off of her sister. "Yang, you seriously need to learn not to smother people."

"Don't blame me for this one, ice wolf." Yang grinned. "I'm way too excited to care, and trust me, you're gonna be just as happy when I tell you who I ran into."

Ruby started getting more interested as she gasped for some air. "W-Who was… It?"

"Hmm. Nope. You need to see for yourself. You too, ice wolf." Yang said, winking at Weiss, who just rolled her eyes at her. "Trust me, it'll be way better to show than tell."

"Fine, but this better be worth the time, you oaf." Weiss replied.

"It will." Yang assured as she looked over at her partner. "Wanna tag along with us, Blake?"

The cat Faunus turned to face her, since she was still doing her best to avoid looking at Weiss. "Um, well I was-."

"Blake wanted to just relax today, Yang." Weiss defended, knowing she was covering for her teammate. "And you said Ruby and I would be the ones who should see whoever it is you ran into."

"Hey, I was just thinking it would be nice to have the whole team there is all." Before Yang could continue, Blake got out of bed and on her feet.

"It's fine." Blake responded, getting her team's full attention. "Where is it we need to go anyways?"

"Oh, uh, well we kinda have to wait a bit before we can see them." Yang answered, getting an eyebrow raise from the white haired teen.

"Them?"

"Mhmm, but still not telling." Yang smirked and walked with her team out of their dorm. "You still gotta wait a little longer, but it's sooooo gonna be worth it."

Weiss shrugged, not wanting to argue with the blonde, so as they walked down the hall together, Blake kept to the back, taking in how Weiss tried covering for her on two occasions.

She figured it was to keep what she wanted preserved. A team that wouldn't fight amongst each other, so she would play along with it. Still, for Blake, her right leg tingled with a feeling she was all too familiar with.

As they got outside, Weiss and Ruby looked around, wondering if they would see the people who Yang was teasing. "You said we'd need to wait, but then you bring us outside. Any reason for that?"

Yang chuckled at Weiss' question since she knew the girl wanted answers quick, even though she did just scold Ruby on being patient. "They told me they'd meet us outside. Besides, you like the fresh air."

A cool breeze that came into contact with Weiss did make her sigh a bit. "Yes… That is true." She looked over at the tree she and Ruby sat against the other day and smiled.

"Come on." Ruby grabbed her hand, knowing Weiss wanted to get back to that spot, so she gave her a grin, making her white haired friend nod in return.

Yang brought her hands up and folded them on the back of her head. "I won't ask you to come and sit, but the offer does stand." She said to Blake without turning to her, but before she could walk over and join her sister and close friend, Blake stopped her.

"You and Weiss, and of course Ruby too, all care about being a team…" Blake commented and took a breath. "So I wouldn't be doing the right thing if I kept myself away from it."

Yang let out a smile at her words. "I mean, I wasn't gonna say it… Buuuuuut, yeah, I think you phrased it well enough for me." She offered her hand to Blake. "Let's go then."

That warmth again. It radiated in Blake's heart as she hesitated for a moment, but after thinking about how excited Ruby was earlier about getting her to join them for team attacks, how Weiss covered for her, and how Yang was at that point offering her hand to her, it was enough to accept the blonde's hand. "Yeah."

* * *

 **And more info on what Lazuria is dealing with, as well as Raven now being involved in some way. I didn't have much to say on this chapter besides their interaction, so the Team RWBY part was more set up for the next chapter and who shows up.**

 **To JJ- With Lazuria, she won't want to talk to Willow for a while, seeing as she doesn't want to get her involved with the problems she's dealing with. And yeah, the team is getting closer, though it's easier here since Ruby and Yang have already known Weiss for years.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 28. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 29.**


	29. A Happy Surprise

**Here's chapter 29, everyone.**

* * *

"The fact that we ran into Yang earlier than I wanted to is bumming me out, Willow." Summer pouted as she and her friend were sat in Ozpin's office as she held her white cloak. "I wanted it to be a surprise!"

Willow couldn't hold back a giggle at her friend's whining. "Come now. She was clearly happy when you turned the corner, and I know your little rose will be just as happy."

Summer let go of her cloak and ran her hand through her bangs, smiling at the thought of seeing Ruby. "I can't wait." She looked up at Ozpin's desk, wondering where the headmaster was, but she had someone else on mind too. "Is Raven still, um, y'know."

"She's waiting in Glynda's office." Willow answered, shuddering a bit. "I don't think I want to get in between those two…"

"Hehe. You know it's funny. You've only recently started training your aura and semblance, but you've been around us enough to see how crazy things can get." Summer remarked.

Willow nodded in agreement. "Yes, which is exactly why I'd never get in the middle of those two women."

Summer leaned back on her chair, chuckling a little. "You don't need to tell me. I remember being pelted by a few of Glynda's textbooks the last time Raven and I visited."

"Ugh, those two get at each other's throats more than Raven and I." Willow remarked.

"I could only hope they won't damage my school too much now." Ozpin spoke, startling the two since they didn't hear the door opening. "Apologies." He walked over to his desk and took a seat while placing his coffee mug down. "Summer, thank you for coming, and Willow, it's good to see you as well."

"Good to see you as well, Professor Ozpin." Willow greeted in return as she laid her hands on her lap.

"Just Ozpin will do." The headmaster requested, earning a nod from the white haired woman.

Summer sat up in her chair, trying not to look unprofessional. "I'm really grateful for this offer, Oz. Being around my family while working is honestly all I've ever wanted."

Ozpin nodded, knowing fully well. "Of course, and I'd like to inform you that both of them have performed well during initiation, as well as your own daughter, Mrs. Schnee."

"Just Willow will do." The white haired woman gave the headmaster a smile, showing she too didn't care much about formalities.

Ozpin let out a light chuckle and lifted his mug up to take a sip of coffee. After he did, he placed it back on the table and folded his hands. "Summer, I don't think I need to tell you why I'm hiring you for this position."

"Right." Willow looked a little confused. "The newest elemental tends to… Cause problems with weapons, and the students here will more than likely need repairs."

"Yes, the Kislota have been more abundant as of recent, and while they can be dealt with, I felt this was the best time to ask for your services, seeing as your daughters are attending from this point on." Ozpin explained.

Summer nodded. "It's the best time, yes, and I'm sure once we figure out where the Kislota's nestings are, it will only be a matter of time before we can wipe them out. By then, I'll step down as Beacon's blacksmith."

Ozpin took another sip and shook his head. "I don't see why you should. I didn't just hire you because of the Kislota. Many students request for modifications for their weapons, and you're the best out there for that."

"Hehe. Flattery won't get you far, Oz." Summer crossed her arms with a smirk.

Willow playfully rolled her eyes and cut in. "But apparently it can earn you some points, just until you find the limit." She crossed one of her legs over the other with a smirk of her own. "I still haven't found that limit after all these years."

Summer stuck her tongue out at Willow. "Bleh! You're just earning the points at a really slow pace is all."

Ozpin decided to not get in between their conversation and waited patiently for them to finish. "Is that so? Well if I recall, last time you tried to mention points, I was only ten percent of the limit."

"Ugh!" Summer whined like a child. "You take advantage of me!"

Willow lightly slapped her shoulder, earning a yelp from the white cloaked woman. "Stop acting like a child in front of the man who is literally giving you a job."

Summer blinked a few times, looking over at Ozpin in embarrassment as her cheeks turned a light shade of red. "S-Sorry, Oz… I kinda forgot we were having a meeting."

Ozpin waved it off. "This is hardly a meeting, Summer. Paperwork at most." He said, getting a few papers out and sliding it across the desk with a pen as well. "Just a few signatures and you'll be set to begin working here."

Summer was relieved the headmaster wasn't as strict as Glynda, so she took the pen in hand and began signing her names where she needed to, while Willow watched her do so. It reminded her a bit of when Jacques would sign the piles of paper on his desk, the few times they would speak to each other, but Willow shook her head, refusing to let that comparison sink it.

"Alright, that's the last one." Summer said after finishing up on the papers. "Thanks again for this offer, Oz." She slid the papers over and placed the pen down.

"You're welcome, now then, as I said, this barely a meeting, so now that you've done your part, the rest is simple enough." Ozpin explained as he neatly piled the papers up. "I'll handle the rest of this paperwork and you can officially begin working next weekend."

Summer grinned happily as she got up from her chair and bowed, more out of respect and gratitude. "Thank you so much, Oz."

"You've thanked me enough, Summer." Ozpin stated. "Now then, if you don't mind, try to make sure Ms. Branwen doesn't break my school while she's here."

"Got it." Summer said with a thumbs up as Willow stood up from her chair as well.

The white haired woman also bowed to the headmaster for the same reason. "My daughter has always wanted to attend here, so I'm eternally grateful to you for accepting her into it."

Ozpin shook his head. "Your daughter was the one who got in with her own skill, Willow. Just as yours have as well, Summer."

Willow let out a thankful smile at his words, nodding to the headmaster as she and Summer took their leave.

"Okay! Where did Yang say she'd meet up with us again?" Summer asked as she and Willow walked down the halls.

"Summer… You really need to pay attention more." Willow plainly stated, earning a pout from her friend. "She said to meet her outside in the courtyard, you dolt."

"Oh, right!" Summer chuckled and held her arms behind her back as she started to look around the halls. "Wow, this place has really changed since I attended… Brings back a lot of good memories."

Willow could tell what that tone of voice meant, so she hummed in response. "I wouldn't know as much, but I believe you. Many things change with time after all." She frowned a bit, thinking about her son.

Summer noticed that and stopped for a moment. "You okay?"

"Y-Yes, I was just thinking about some stuff." Willow answered, hoping Summer wouldn't pry.

"Is it about Jacques?" Summer guessed, taking Willow's hand for support.

The white haired woman sighed. "He's part of it… But please, let's not talk about him right now." She did her best to smile. "We have our daughters to see after all."

Knowing Willow long enough, she could tell when to drop something, or pester her until she was ready to accept comfort. "Yeah, you're right." Summer smiled back, gently walking down the hall while keeping her grip on Willow's hand, knowing the woman just needed to see her daughter to feel better.

* * *

"So you did change into a wolf the other day?" Yang asked as she and her team were sitting under the same tree Ruby and Weiss stayed under the other day. "Was it just as relaxing as you told me it was?"

Weiss nodded, contemplating doing so again. "I couldn't tell you why completely, but it just felt a lot more comfortable to me… Does that make me weird?"

"Don't be all self conscious, ice wolf." Yang grinned as she ruffled Weiss' hair.

"Hey!" Weiss yelped and glared at the blonde for ruffling her hair a bit.

"Right, you and Ruby hate when I do that." Yang chuckled and moved away when Weiss tried to swat at her. "Come on, ice wolf, it was just a little ruffling."

Weiss crossed her arms. "Hmph! Like you're one to talk with how you overreact the moment a strand of that mane of yours falls off."

"That was like, two times at most!" Yang complained.

"Uh huh." Was all Weiss had to say, earning a groan from the blonde since she knew people would hold that against her.

Ruby snickered a bit at the two as they began to bicker, but when she turned to see Blake looking up at the clouds, she gently nudged her a bit. "You like looking at the clouds too?"

"Huh?" Blake shifted a little and nodded when she realized what Ruby asked. "Grimm, school, and a lot more that can stress anyone out. Times like these are few and far between, Ruby."

"Weiss said something like that too." Ruby smiled, while Blake grinded her teeth a bit about how she and the Schnee agreed on something. "Hey, Weiss," She nudged her partner a bit, getting her to look over. "Maybe you should use your semblance."

"I-I don't know, Ruby." Weiss replied in a nervous tone. "I was more comfortable when it was just the two of us." She whispered to her partner.

Ruby whispered back. "Don't worry, Weiss. Blake and Yang have seen you as a wolf already, and we'll just have more eyes to keep watch over anyone who'll be around before you change back."

The white haired teen couldn't really argue, as she too wanted to up and use her 'semblance'. "I guess… Okay, but don't think I haven't forgotten what I said, Ruby. This won't happen as much as you think." A half lie.

Her partner giggled a bit. "Mhmm."

Weiss rolled her eyes and focused on her semblance, confusing Yang a bit. "Uh, ice wolf? What are you-." She yelped when the light shined on Weiss, surprising Blake as well, and the team covered their eyes as moments later, the white wolf appeared with her clothes on her back. "Huh?"

"Hehe. I convinced her to use her semblance is all." Ruby explained as she helped move Weiss' clothes on the ground.

"Don't get used to this, Xiao Long." Weiss warned as she instantly laid down on the grass, while Yang grinned at her.

"Man, I gotta start getting used to seeing a talking wolf." The blonde brawler remarked as she reached down, feeling Weiss' fur, which made the wolf tense up a bit, but she didn't try to make her stop.

Blake looked over, unsure on how to feel about seeing Weiss using a 'semblance' she shouldn't even have, according to intel that is.

"I'm not a talking wolf, you oaf. This is my semblance." Weiss reminded.

"Yeah, yeah, but to us, we see a white wolf opening its mouth and words come out of it. Sooooo, talking wolf." Yang chuckled as she ran her hands through Weiss' fur, smiling at how the white wolf wagged her tail a bit.

"Ugh, I didn't like when Nora referred to me as a dog, Yang…" Weiss said with a slight growl.

The blonde stopped rubbing her fur and frowned. "Hey, come on, Weiss. You know I would never mean it like that. I was just-."

"I know, you oaf. I was just teasing." Weiss said, chuckling a little at how she was able to get Yang to react like that, laying her head down on the soft grass. The blonde wanted to fire back, but seeing the white wolf resting soundly made her simply smile and resume rubbing her fur.

Blake took note of that, feeling like Weiss should hate being touched that way. Being a Faunus, Blake despised when people would call her race simply animals, yet here this Schnee was, letting someone rub her fur like she was a real wolf.

" _Does she not know how degrading that looks…"_

She wanted to get up and yell at them, but something, someone held her back. Whether it was herself or the talks she had with Yang and Weiss. It stopped Blake from being angrier than she felt she should.

It was then that it hit her. Her eyes widened when she realized it. Weiss was smiling, comfortable that Yang was doing what she was doing. Like she accepted it with no trouble.

" _Is… Is it really okay for her?"_

Seeing her tail swaying was answer enough, and Blake looked away, feeling like it wasn't a sight that was possible to see, but she was cut off from her thoughts when she heard a voice yelling out in joy.

"Mom!" It was Ruby's voice as both the white wolf and the cat Faunus were startled by it, while Yang simply grinned. She got up and ran over, jumping into her mother's arms.

"My little rose, always so inpatient." Summer gently spoke as she held her daughter close, while Willow was smiling at the two, but when she turned to see her own daughter, in her wolf form no less, she gasped.

"Weiss?" The white haired woman was surprised, seeing as her daughter expressed concern on using her 'semblance'. She took a few steps forward as she saw the white wolf slowly stand up, her ears perked up as a few tears fell.

"M-Mom…" Weiss took off, running happily at her mother as she pounced on her, making Willow yelp as her daughter knocked her to the ground, though luckily for her, she knew to get her aura up from her training with Raven to stop herself from getting hurt. "Mom! You're here!" She nuzzled her mother happily, not caring if any other student looked over.

Yang sighed happily as she scooted over to Blake. "See? I knew this would be worth the wait."

Blake said nothing as she watched her teammates hugging their respective mothers, Ruby crying happily while Summer stroked the back of her hair, and Weiss nuzzling her mother's cheek as Willow chuckled and rubbed her neck.

A second Schnee though was what passed through Blake's mind, but it wasn't what she thought she'd feel. " _They look… Happy."_

* * *

 **Three moms are here, and with Blake's questions on why Weiss allows people to rub her fur, she only lets people she trusts do that, so I would suggest remembering that throughout the story. It shows who Weiss will trust moving forward.**

 **To JJ- Raven now knows more than most people, so let's see what that information does for her, and I couldn't resist making that comment about the lake water. Physically, Raven would mop the floor with Willow, as for verbally, they both sass each other enough to tie at times. Also, good thing I update every other day so you don't gotta wait long.**

 **To GoldElite245- No worries about that. I'm just glad the story is continuing to grab your attention to read it. As for The Relentless, well, a certain someone will have to tell the characters, and the readers that.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 29. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 30.**


	30. The Unexpected Gesture

**Here's chapter 30, everyone.**

* * *

"Mom… What are you doing here?" Weiss asked as she slowly got off of her mother, smiling up at her as Willow stood up, chuckling a bit at how she reacted. "And why didn't you tell me you'd be here?"

Willow rubbed the back of her head. "I wanted to keep it as a surprise, snowflake, and even if I didn't, Summer would bite my head off if I spoiled the surprise for Ruby."

"Are you implying that I would tell Ruby, mother?" Weiss questioned, showing her mom that she was a little offended by that.

"Of course not, sweetie, but you never know when that little rose is eavesdropping." Willow chuckled as she kneeled down and placed her hand on Weiss' cheek. "But forget about that… How come you're using your semblance, snowflake?"

Weiss blushed a little. "W-Well I really like relaxing outside with it, and… The other day Ruby and I spoke about it." She sighed a bit. "One day I'd have to use my semblance in a combat course anyways, so people would see me like this no matter what, and they'd most likely know what problem I run into with it."

Willow nodded, understanding Weiss' reasoning as she pulled her hand away. "I'm just glad you feel more comfortable using it here, sweetie. It was… One of the few things that worried me."

"Why would you need to worry about that, mom?" Weiss asked.

"Because I didn't know if you'd ever want to use it." Willow answered, though there was more to it than just that, but to assure Weiss that she wasn't as worried, she gave her a smile. "May I ask what the reason was?"

"To use it?" When her mother nodded, Weiss recalled the day Yang and her spoke. "It… Was gradual. Yang asked me if I ever used it to relax and I mentioned I did once."

"Ah, so she encouraged you to." Willow assumed.

Weiss shook her head. "Not her, but Ruby. Yang only brought it up, so I thought about it and asked Ruby what she thought." Her tail swayed a bit. "She really helped me feel comfortable using it out here."

Ruby was in the middle of telling her mom about how awesome Beacon was, and how she can't wait to show her what she's learned while attending. "That's sweet of her." Willow smiled.

The white wolf turned her head slightly to look over at her partner, nodding a bit. "It was, yes. I'm still a bit nervous though…" She looked back at where her clothes were, her mom looking over as well.

"Hmm, I know, snowflake. But you have such an amazing semblance. So even with that downside, I know you'll show Remnant what you can do." Willow supported.

Weiss wagged her tail a few times, feeling a bit better. "Thank you, mom… Though," She stopped her tail, showing she wasn't happy with what she was about to talk to her mom about. "I-I'm scared, mom."

"You're scared? Of what, sweetie?" Willow asked, rubbing her daughter's fur to try and calm her down a bit.

"I-It's about initiation…" Weiss whimpered a bit. "I… Ruby was hurt and when I couldn't do anything about it… I freaked out and used my semblance."

Willow wasn't sure what Weiss was scared about, so she took a guess. "Was it about Ruby getting hurt?"

"No… Well, yes that scared me too, but… It was what I did when I used my semblance." Weiss sat down and began to picture the events. "It was a Strom we had to fight and… I just couldn't let it get away with what it did."

"Snowflake, if you mean you killed it, you know you don't have to be afraid of doing so. This is what hunters do and-."

"You don't get it." Weiss said, cutting her mom off as she saw Weiss tear up. "I-I dropped Myrtenaster and just… Pounced on it, bit into its neck till it stopped moving…" Willow was taken aback. "Mom, I… I tasted its blood."

"Oh snowflake…" Willow hugged the white wolf, stroking her back as she felt her tears falling. "You were protecting Ruby, nothing more."

Weiss shook her head, crying a bit more since it was the first time talking about it since it happened. "I was a monster then, mom…"

Willow gasped and pulled away, looking her daughter right in the eyes. "No you are not, young lady." Her voice was stern and she refused to let Weiss continue thinking that way. "You are a wonderful huntress in training with a very amazing semblance, and no one can tell you otherwise. What you did was exactly what hunters do. Protect people."

"H-How can I protect people if they saw me doing that… Ruby didn't see.. She doesn't know how I got." Weiss whimpered more.

"Weiss," Willow using her daughter's name in the tone she used made the white wolf look up. "Those monsters hurt Ruby, and you chose to protect her, whether it be with Myrtenaster, or your own teeth, you saved her life… And I know you're scared about how you fought it… But please don't think of yourself as one of those out there. You are nothing like them."

Weiss could see the bright blue eyes her mother had begin to water a bit, so she whimpered and nodded, not wanting her to cry. "I-I'm sorry, mom…"

"Shh," Willow hugged her again, rubbing her side a bit. "Don't worry about anything, sweetie. Right now I want to hear how your time here has been."

Before Weiss could respond, Summer gasped and ran over. "W-Willow… Why are you talking with a wolf…"

Willow blinked a few times, her eyes widening at how she realized what Summer saw. "I-I never told you… Summer, this is Weiss." The white cloaked huntress' jaw dropped. "It's her semblance."

"H-Her semblance…" She looked down at Weiss. "Weiss, is that really you?"

Weiss' ears perked up and she nodded a few times. "It is, me, Mrs. Rose." Hearing Weiss' voice made Summer yelp and the white wolf sighed a bit. "I knew you should've told her about this years ago, mom."

Ruby took her mom's hand, chuckling a bit. "I know, I was just as shocked, mom… Well, maybe not just as shocked, but it was seriously the craziest news I heard all day."

"I… She… A wolf…" Summer was still clearly confused as she almost fainted, but Willow grabbed her arm to keep her from falling, rolling her eyes at how overly dramatic her friend was being.

"I swear, you are the most over dramatic woman I have ever known, Summer Rose." Willow said as she got her back on her feet, while looking over at Ruby. "Please make sure your mother is not causing any trouble here, little rose."

Ruby saluted to the elder Schnee and wondered something. "Oh, wow, I was so excited about seeing mom that I forgot to ask. What are you both doing here? A visit?"

"Well I think it would be best for your mom to tell you the news herself," Willow glanced at Summer who was still in her grasp. "That is if she can even form words now."

Summer was blinking several times until Willow snapped her fingers in her face. "Wha… Oh, Willow, um, man, I feel like I just had a dream where this talking wolf was claiming to be your little snowflake." Willow gave her a deadpan stare and simply pointed down, so Summer followed where she pointed and she yelped. "It wasn't a dream!"

Weiss groaned next. "Ugh, why can't anyone simply just be okay seeing a wolf? I mean, am I that out of place?" Ruby and Summer both nodded, and Willow didn't answer, making her huff out in annoyance. "Oh shut up…"

"No one said anything though." Ruby giggled.

Summer was still a bit shocked and looked to Willow. "When exactly were you going to tell me about this? And why haven't you, Willow?"

The way she asked seemed to show that Summer felt a little hurt that her friend didn't trust her with the information. "Summer, it's not like that. Weiss wanted to surprise Ruby and Yang when they got to Beacon years ago, so… I had to make sure you didn't know, because let's face it, Summer, you're not the best at secret keeping."

"Hey! I can keep secrets when they're really serious ones!" Summer yelled back and their respective daughters backed away a bit.

"Um, should we do something about them or wait it out?" Weiss asked, watching the two women bickering with each other.

Ruby looked back at where Blake and Yang were, so she shrugged. "Well they'll probably be at it for a bit, so let's sit back down by the tree till they're done."

Weiss nodded and followed her partner back to Blake and Yang. "Uh, why are our moms yelling at each other?" Yang asked.

"Ugh, your mom was being overly dramatic and my mom simply called her out on it is all. That and she's upset about not knowing what my semblance has been for so long." Weiss answered.

"Well I mean… It is kinda shocking to see after all." Yang remarked as the white wolf laid under the tree, while Ruby sat next to her and rubbed her fur.

Weiss sighed. "I get that, but still, I just didn't want many people to know, and the only reason I was alright with those at the manor knowing was because it would be impossible to hide it otherwise."

"Hey, it's your choice, Weiss. I'm just saying that it's a pretty normal reaction to have." Yang reiterated as she leaned back against the tree. "So, how long do you think they'll be at it for?"

"Couldn't say." Weiss replied, and Ruby looked over at Blake, who hadn't said anything for some time.

"Oh, Blake, I'm sure you know, but the woman in the cloak is our mom, and that's Weiss' mom." Ruby pointed out, not wanting to leave her teammate out of the conversation.

Blake, who had been doing her best to stay out of things nodded. "I figured."

"Yeah, it's so awesome." Ruby said, giddy with excitement, but still wondered why they were here. "I just wish she'd tell me why she's here. I mean, mom would love to tell me she's visiting."

"Maybe it's because it's the first time visiting?" Weiss guessed.

Ruby didn't seem all that convinced. "I don't know, but hey, looks like they stopped arguing." The team watched as both Summer and Willow were walking over. "Um, are you two… Okay?"

Summer chuckled a bit and scratched the back of her head. "Yes we are, little rose. I was a tad bit over dramatic about this all." She could feel Willow rolling her eyes, but then looked down at Weiss. "I'm sorry for how I reacted, Weiss. This is all just so new to me."

"It's okay, Mrs. Rose. I'm getting a little used to how people react when they learn what my semblance is really like." She said, looking over at her mom as she wanted to get the answer she and Ruby were looking for. "So what's the reason you both showed up at Beacon all of a sudden?"

"Like I said before, sweetie. Summer should tell you all." Willow said, nudging her friend. "Go on."

Summer smiled, looking down at both Ruby and Yang, taking a deep breath. "I was offered a job here as the school's blacksmith." She said in a gentler tone, watching as both Ruby and Yang jumped up in excited shock.

"REALLY?!" Ruby cheered and hugged her mom as tight as she could. "That's so awesome! You'll be here at Beacon with us!"

Yang grinned happily, walking over to place her hand on Summer's shoulder. "That… Wow, this is too good to be true. First Ruby is accepted into Beacon two years early, then we get on the same team together, with Weiss, and now this."

Summer smiled and wrapped an arm around Yang, pulling her in. "It'll be only on weekends, but yes, it does feel to good to be true."

Weiss was happy for them and got on her paws, looking up at her mother. "Wait, if Mrs. Rose is going to be working here, does that mean… You will too?"

Willow frowned a bit, knowing her daughter was growing hopeful of that possibility. "I-I'm sorry, snowflake, but I'm here because I didn't want to miss out on an opportunity to see you."

"O-Oh…" Weiss' ears drooped a bit, but they perked right back up as she let out a small smile. "I'm still happy you came over today, mom." She walked over, and Willow knelt down, hugging her white wolf daughter as she felt her nuzzling her. "I missed you so much, mom…"

"I missed you too, snowflake." Willow sniffled and rubbed her daughter's back as she noticed Blake when she looked up. "Oh, I'm so sorry." She pulled away from her daughter. "Where are my manners. I'm Willow Schnee, and you must be the last of Weiss' teammates."

Weiss tensed up a bit, worried how Blake was going to react. For a moment, the cat Faunus almost wanted to outright ignore her, but after seeing how she and Weiss interacted, she couldn't. "Y-Yes, my name is Blake."

Willow smiled. "That's a very pretty name, Blake." She walked over and offered her hand to the girl, making Blake uncomfortable

Blake looked over at Weiss, who whimpered a bit, and Yang who frowned, hoping she wouldn't do anything that could cause tension. "Thank you…" Blake took her hand, feeling nervous as she was lifted up on her feet.

"Don't be so nervous. I'm only a mother." Willow joked, not knowing why Blake was like that.

The cat Faunus moved her hand to her right arm and held it. "Um, sorry…" She looked away. "I'm not that great at meeting new people." A lie she hoped would work.

"Ah, shy, well, I won't take too long here and just say this." Blake waited. "Thank you for fighting alongside my daughter. She means the world to me and to know she has capable teammates watching over her eases my worries even more so."

Weiss groaned a little, since she still wished people wouldn't worry so much about her, while Blake was taken aback by how the woman spoke. "O-Oh, well… You're welcome." Willow nodded and even bowed to her, making the cat Faunus freeze.

A Schnee just bowed to a Faunus out of respect and thanks.

* * *

 **Blake is learning a lot about how certain Schnees aren't jerks. Also, sorry about the more, lighter chapters. Characters like Blake in this will need to have chapters like this where not too much goes on, but enough happens to work on character growth.**

 **To JJ- Yup. Summer is a blacksmith, so I said, why not add her to the staff of Beacon. And a bit of a tease, but Glynda has more to do in this story than throw books at Summer and Raven. With Weiss, like I said before, she allows only certain people to do that stuff, so it shows she trusts them more than ever.**

 **To GoldElite245- Yup. She's got all the information, but we'll see who she tells, or if she'll tell anyone for that matter. Also, with each day that passes for Blake, seeing how a Schnee really is helps her understand them more than just imagining Jacques' stupid face.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 30. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 31.**


	31. The Day Of Discovery

**Here's chapter 31, everyone.**

* * *

After the shock of seeing Willow Schnee, wife of Jacques Schnee bowing to her, the cat Faunus didn't know what to do, so Weiss spoke up to try and get her mom's attention. "Mom, uh, could we talk for a bit? Just the two of us."

"Hmm? Oh, of course, sweetie." Willow gave a light wave to Blake, both her and her daughter walking off far enough to the side, while Blake was still struck with shock.

Weiss got far enough for the others to not hear them and stopped. "How have you been, mom?" The first question the white wolf had for her mom when the two were away from the others.

"I should be the one asking you that, snowflake." Willow smiled and sat on the grass, surprising her daughter, but when she patted a spot next to her, Weiss nodded and laid down. The white haired mother looked over at Beacon in awe. "I've been well. A lot… More active if that makes sense."

"In what way?" Weiss inquired.

Willow chuckled a bit. "I shouldn't lie to you, snowflake." That confused Weiss a bit as her mother sighed. "My aura. I've had some help learning how to use it."

Weiss' ears perked up and she lifted her head. "W-What? Mom, why would you need to learn about that? You've told me before that you don't have an interest in fighting."

"That is true, yes, but a friend of mine had shown me how dangerous things can be, even if I'm not out there fighting monsters." Willow started. "It's best to at least be prepared."

"I-If what happens?" The white wolf started growing more concerned for her mother.

Willow could tell from the stutter, so she reached her hand over and rubbed her fur a bit to calm her down, one of the few people in Weiss' life that she'd trust to do so. "Shhh, don't worry, snowflake. I'm just taking precautions is all. Aura does also heal us, so say your mother is a dunce and gets a nasty papercut."

"Mom…" Weiss wasn't able to play along with the joke.

"Come on, sweetie. Don't be like that." Willow comforted. "I don't really have all that much to do at the manor, and… Honestly, I've quite enjoyed learning how to use my aura."

"Y-You have?" Weiss said, her ears perked up a little in surprise.

Willow nodded. "Mhmm. It was a little difficult at first, well… It still is, but at the same time rewarding."

Weiss recalled the days of her own aura training, how tough it would be to keep her aura up as it were as easy as breathing. "I had the same feeling too. But… Are you really sure about continuing?"

"From how you're sounding, sweetie, I can tell you're worried about me, but you don't have to be." Willow assured. "I have a good friend watching over me while I learn about my aura more and more."

"Mrs. Rose?" Weiss assumed.

"One of these days she'll get you to call her Summer, snowflake." Willow chuckled a little. "And no, it's not her. I'll introduce you to her, though you have met her before actually."

"I have?" Weiss was growing more curious and sat up. "Is that the only hint I'm getting?"

Willow nodded, earning a groan from her daughter. "You'll see her soon enough, trust me." She looked over at Summer, smiling at how she, Ruby and Yang were most likely talking about her new job. "Why don't we get back over to them."

Weiss got up on her paws and swayed her tail a few times. "I'm really happy that you decided to come here with Mrs. Rose, mom."

Willow stood up on her feet. "I would never miss out on a chance to see my little snowflake." She leaned down and kissed her daughter on her forehead, earning a nuzzle in return. "I'm so proud of you."

" _And I know Lazuria is too."_

Weiss felt her mom pull away and the two walked back over to the others, hearing Ruby squeal in excitement. "So you'll be able to help modify Crescent Rose whenever I need it?"

"Of course." Summer proudly confirmed. "Though don't expect special treatment, my little rose. Just because I'm your mother doesn't mean you can skip others waiting for their fixes and upgrades."

Ruby pouted in response. "Awww, but Crescent Rose is a lot more complicated than other weapons! She needs more time than anything."

"And who's fault is that?" Summer smirked.

"I... Ugh…" Ruby grumbled a bit.

Yang chuckled and patted her back. "Don't be so whiny, sis. Mom will easily still help on the side, just on her off hours."

Summer raised an eyebrow in a jokey manner. "Oh is that so? And who's to say I wouldn't want a bit of a break after work, firecracker?"

"Huh, you? Taking a break? Yeah, sorry, mom, no way." Yang grinned. "We had to beg you to come with us to the pool that one time when you wanted to fix up Qrow's scythe."

"I-It was broken! He couldn't go on hunts without it…" Summer whined as equally as her daughter.

Willow pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head. "Are you seriously still whining?" Summer snapped her attention to her white haired friend, sticking her tongue out at her. Willow rolled her eyes in response. "You're a grown woman. Act your age."

"Hmm… Nah, I do that only when I need to." Summer joked as she held her hands on the back of her head.

Yang snickered in response. "That's right! Who wants to be a stuck up old woman anyways?"

"I-I'm not that old!" Summer exclaimed as she dropped her arms.

Weiss started to laugh a bit, earning a blush from the older rose woman, while Yang joined in on the laughter. Ruby herself couldn't contain it anymore and she too laughed, while Willow was letting out more of a giggle.

Summer was pouting about it for a few seconds, but when she saw how happy everyone was, she started laughing too.

The only one not joining in was Blake though, feeling like she was out of place, but yelped when Yang wrapped an arm around her shoulders to whisper. "I know… It's not your thing, but come on. Don't be separated from us, Blake."

Blake sighed a bit. "I'm not really in a laughy mood." She whispered back.

"You don't need to be, but don't stay on the side. Come on, talk with my mom. She wants to meet my badass partner." Yang grinned.

The urge to roll her eyes was strong, but Blake chose to simply nod and join the blonde, since she knew walking off or making an excuse to get away wouldn't be honoring her promise to try. "Okay…"

Yang patted her back and walked her over to Summer. "Mom, this is my partner, Blake. Blake, this is my mom, Summer Rose, best blacksmith Remnant will ever know."

Blake wasn't as nervous to meet Summer, but did wonder why Yang's last name wasn't the same as both her mother's and her sister's. "It's nice to meet you."

"Same to you, especially knowing my little firecracker needs a responsible partner to keep her in check." That earned a pout from the blonde, while Summer chuckled.

"Ugh, is that all you got to say about me, mom?" Yang faked offense as she crossed her arms. "Not even how awesome I am at hand to hand, or how I can break an Ursa's hand like nothing?"

"You've earned enough praise in the past, firecracker. Any more and I may have to start worrying about that big head of yours." Summer grinned.

Blake joined in on the grin, making her partner sigh in defeat as the three began to talk about their partnership. Ruby however went over to talk with Willow. "I haven't seen you in so long, Mrs-."

"Willow is fine, little rose. Your mother is very specific about that, though my snowflake still seems to not get that." Willow eyed her daughter, who huffed in return.

"How I refer to people should not be such an issue, mother." There it was again, when Weiss said mother instead of mom, she was a little peeved.

Ruby grinned at that. "Well I think it's kinda cute."

Weiss blushed a bit and looked away, while Willow chuckled a bit. "Now, now, snowflake, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. I won't pester you anymore about your preferences on what you call people."

The white wolf grumbled a bit and laid on the grass. "Fine." She did think about something she hadn't asked her mother yet. "Mom, have… Have you heard from Winter?"

"Sadly no, sweetie." Willow frowned when she saw Weiss' ears drooping. "Well, not in voice at least since she's very busy, but I know she sent you various texts congratulating you on passing initiation." She smiled, sitting on the grass with her daughter.

Weiss did in fact receive those texts, but to hear her sister's voice was something she wanted more so. "I know… Just seeing you here makes me wish she could've been here too."

Willow gently brushed her daughter's fur, knowing how much she missed her sister, and to be honest, Willow herself missed her eldest daughter very much so. "I miss her too, sweetie, but you know she'll find time to see us."

"Yeah…" Weiss sighed a bit, and Ruby sat on the other side of her.

"Hey, come on. I bet if you call her, she'll answer right away." Ruby tried suggesting, and Weiss lifted her head up a bit.

"I-I don't know. She's very busy, as my mom just said, Ruby." The white wolf reminded.

"Maybe she's on break." Ruby smiled, trying to lighten her partner's mood.

Weiss looked over at her mother. "D-Do you think she would be on break right now, mom?"

"Hmm, well I don't see why not." Willow responded as she got her scroll out to call her eldest daughter. "I'll have her on video call too, snowflake."

The white wolf's ears perked up and she was hopeful, watching as her mother pressed Winter's name on her scroll and the three waited to see if she would answer. After a few moments, the screen lit up and revealed the Specialist, who at the moment was sitting at her desk. "Mother, and… Weiss?!"

Seeing her in her wolf form, as well as being next to their mother was shocking indeed for the rather usually calm Specialist, causing Willow to lightly chuckle. "It's good to see you, Winter."

"Mother… Are you at Beacon? And sister, you're using your semblance?" Both answered with a nod. "I, well, okay then. Mother, why are you at Beacon right now? Did something happen over there?" The concern in her voice showed.

"Nothing bad, dear." Willow assured. "Summer was offered a job here, so I decided to come along with her to see your sister. You remember Summer, right?"

Winter nodded. "She had helped me with my saber… Though seeing Qrow that day was not something I wish to repeat." She sighed, but then looked over at her sister. "Weiss… I'm a little surprised you're using your semblance in what appears to be… The courtyard?"

Weiss sat up, swaying her tail a bit as she nodded. "I've gotten a little more comfortable about it, and Ruby is making sure to keep an eye out for me when I change back."

"Very good. Be sure to also look out for her too, Weiss. A partnership only works when both are in sync with each other." Winter sternly reminded.

"You say it like I haven't been looking out for the dolt." That got a squeak from Ruby, while Winter nodded.

"Just a reminder, sister." The Specialist took a moment to think about what to ask next. "How have you been?"

Weiss would love to spend the whole day telling her sister everything she's done so far at Beacon, but she knew that she'd have to keep some things left out. "A bit… Surprising." Winter raised an eyebrow at that. "I mean I really like it here. It's just some things were unexpected is all."

"Like what?" Winter inquired.

"The people. Some are very… Unique." Weiss said, thinking about who to mention. "There is this one boy, Jaune, at first Ruby, Yang and I met him after he… Well, 'lost his lunch' as Ruby would put it." That earned a giggle from Ruby. "And then there is his one teammate who… Ugh, drives me insane, Winter."

"How so?" Winter continued asking.

Weiss sighed a bit. "She is very… Interested in how my semblance works and tends to ask too many questions concerning it."

"In all fairness, sister, your semblance is very unique, especially seeing as you are a Schnee." Winter reminded, earning a groan from the white wolf.

"I-I know, but still. People shouldn't be so curious about it. So what if I can turn into a wolf?" Weiss laid her head back down, believing people should keep to themselves about her 'semblance'.

Seeing how her partner reacted, Ruby spoke up. "Hey, I can talk to Nora about backing off with the questions. Ren already told her about it too, so hearing it from me should really get her to stop."

Weiss shook her head. "It's not just her, Ruby."

Winter sighed sadly, remembering how when Weiss was younger and discovered her 'semblance', it was quite a shock to even her.

 **6 years earlier**

"Weiss, you know you're still too young to start thinking about training with Myrtenaster." Winter scolded. "And before you say it, yes I know others at your age would be able to train, but mom and I are still not comfortable with you doing so yet."

"But I'm ready to…" Weiss frowned as she and her sister were outside in the courtyard, their mother sitting down at the table not too far from them. "Why are you and mom so afraid about it?"

Winter sighed. "It's not that we're… Afraid per say, we just don't want you rushing into this so soon, Weiss." The eighteen year old explained. The younger Schnee sibling mumbled something, and Winter raised an eyebrow. "Weiss, speak your mind. We've talked about this."

"I just said that it's not fair." Weiss huffed. "My aura isn't that strong, but I can still at least swing a sword at a practice dummy."

"Maybe so, but you just said it yourself. Your aura isn't as strong as it needs to be, so what happens if you cut yourself with your sword? What then?" Winter questioned.

Weiss crossed her arms and sat on the grass, looking even more upset. "I can learn how to not do that if you'd let me."

"Weiss, Atlas academy may not be too far, but I still won't be able to help train you as much as you'd need." Winter reminded.

Her little sister kicked some grass under her feet, wishing her sister didn't remind her of how she wasn't going to be around as much. "M-Maybe mom can help me train then."

"You know mother has not trained like Mrs. Rose or other hunters out there, Weiss." Winter stated, but their mother overheard and walked over.

Willow knelt down by her youngest daughter and rubbed her back. "Snowflake, I overheard you and your sister." Winter was a bit nervous that their mother would be a bit upset with her comment. "Truth be told, your sister is right. I have no training experience, but what I can do is help set up practice courses for you with Klein's help."

Weiss perked up at that, while Winter was taken aback by their mother's sudden approval of training. "Mother, I thought we spoke about this. Weiss isn't-."

"I know we spoke about this, Winter." Willow interrupted, while Weiss remained quiet. "Your sister is growing up though, just like you did. We can't keep treating her like a child forever if she wants to become a huntress." She smiled and looked down at her youngest daughter. "That is what you want, right, snowflake?"

"Y-Yes." Weiss smiled brightly, hoping her mother was truly going to let her begin training. "I really, really want to, mom." She looked to her sister. "Please, Winter… Please let me at least let me try."

Winter was still hesitant, since it was her little sister after all, so she sighed and looked back and forth between her sister and mother. "I… You have to promise me to not overdo it whatsoever. Only the basics. Understand?"

Hearing that made Weiss gasp in joy as she leaned over and hugged her big sister, nodding happily. "Yes! I promise, Winter!"

She couldn't help but smile at her little sister's excitement, so she patted her back twice and felt her pull away. "Good. And I don't want to hear any complaints from you about your training. If this is really what you want, then you need to promise to be both safe, and work hard for this."

"I will!" Weiss assured, getting to her feet as she looked to her mom. "C-Can we start today, mom?"

Before their mother could respond, Winter crossed her arms and spoke up. "Weiss, you are not to try and rush into this." Her tone was stern and made her little sister tense up a bit. "Before you even think about using Myrtenaster, you need to have better control of your aura."

Weiss wanted to complain, but she knew that would get her nowhere since her sister literally told her moments ago that she didn't want to hear her complain. "R-Right. Um, can I still try that at least today?"

Winter sighed at her eagerness. "Alright, but please don't try to overdo it, little sister. Aura isn't a toy. It's our lifeline in a way. So if you try to use too much of it, it can break."

"Oh," Weiss rubbed the back of her head a bit. "I didn't know it was easy to break."

"Not exactly easy, but it can be broken if you aren't careful, which is why I'd rather you learn how to properly use it before attempting to use Myrtenaster." Winter explained.

Willow cut in. "I've seen her use her aura before, so let's allow her to try here, Winter."

"I-I… Okay, but she needs to-." Before Winter could continue, Weiss spoke up.

"I'm standing right here." Weiss pouted. "I can do this, Winter." She took a breath, focusing on her aura, while Winter was still a bit nervous. Soon however, the older Schnee sibling and their mother were pleasantly surprised to see a light blue aura surrounding Weiss. "S-See…"

Winter wanted to reach out to her sister to stop her from trying to use her aura, but she held herself back, wanting to respect Weiss' wishes. "Okay, just… Remember what I said."

Weiss nodded slowly, keeping her eyes closed as she tried to keep her aura up longer than she had done before. A calm wave washed over the younger Schnee sibling and a light began to encompass her, making both Willow and Winter gasp in shock as they had to shield their eyes.

Both of them opened their eyes after a few moments to hear a cry of shock, their concern growing immensely as they didn't see where Weiss was. "W-Weiss?! Weiss, where are-?!" Winter's eyes widened when she looked down to see a white wolf on the grass, not as big as an adult wolf, but not as small as a puppy. "Gah! A wolf?!" She backed away in shock, while Willow looked down at the wolf, making her freeze.

The white wolf was looking at her own body in fear, unsure of what was happening as she spun around. "W-W-What's going on?! WHY AM I A WOLF?!" Weiss exclaimed, while Willow was staring at her, eyes widened with nothing but pure shock, while Winter would hear her sister's voice coming from the wolf.

"W-Weiss?" Winter spoke, taking a step forward as she watched the white wolf frantically moving around until she fell on herself since she wasn't used to walking on all fours.

"What's happened to me?!" Weiss was afraid as she tried to get up but failed until Winter knelt down and looked at her. "W-Winter… I-I'm scared…"

"Oh my goodness…" Winter held her hand against her mouth, only to look up at her mom for guidance, but when she noticed her mom was still frozen from the shock, Winter tried to reach out to Weiss. "I-It's going to be okay, Weiss… I-I don't know what's happened here, but you'll be okay."

Weiss was small enough as a wolf to be picked up by her sister, but when she was picked up, the white wolf started to panic even more, struggling in her sister's grasp. "Help!" She begged to change back, but her cries finally snapped Willow out of her trance.

She knew it would happen one day, so Willow needed to just tell her the one thing she had ready for the day. "S-Snowflake, calm down, mommy's here." Willow took Weiss from Winter, who looked to be shaking from seeing her sister freaking out so much.

The white wolf was crying in her mom's arms as she was shaking still, looking up to see her mom was also crying a bit. "W-What's happening to me… M-Mama…"

"Shhh, shhh, it's okay, sweetie." Willow rocked her back and forth in her arms, happy Weiss was still small enough as a wolf to do that for her, since it did calm her down as a puppy. "T-This is your semblance."

Winter's eyes widened, while Weiss' cries seemed to slow down. "M-My… S-Semblance?"

"Yes," Willow smiled as best she could. "Remember… Semblances use aura, so when you tried using your aura, you must have activated your semblance."

She couldn't stay quiet any longer. "Mother, that's not our family semblance." Winter reminded.

Willow knew Winter couldn't know about Weiss' true bloodline, so she had a feeling she'd bring that up. "I know, but you've studied semblances as well, Winter. They are based on our personalities, so," She again, did her best to give both a reassuring smile as she looked down at Weiss. "Your sister may have finally broken away from our hereditary family semblance."

While it seemed hard to believe, it didn't seem impossible either, so Winter simply stayed quiet while Weiss was starting to calm down even more so. "I-I did?"

"Yes, you did." Willow let her down, feeling a tear fall as memories of the day Lazuria trusted Weiss to her began filling her mind. "I am so proud of you, my little snowflake."

After hearing her mother explaining as much as she could, Weiss looked around a bit, and then down at herself. "This… This is really my semblance?" When Willow nodded happily, Weiss' tail began to sway on its own.

Winter needed to sit down, taking in what had just happened as she held a hand against her forehead while taking several breaths. "Wow, Just," She shook her head a bit. "Wow."

Weiss' ears drooped a bit and she tried to stand on her paws, but it was still tough as she slowly made her way to Winter. "Do you not like my semblance?"

How she sounded hurt Winter, like Weiss wanted her approval but believed she wouldn't get it. "It's not that, Weiss. I just didn't expect this." She answered honestly. "All I've ever known about our family semblance is that we can use glyphs."

"Me too." Weiss replied, whimpering a bit, but she blushed since she didn't expect to actually whimper.

Willow sat with her children, pulling Weiss close to her as she rubbed her head a bit, making the white wolf feel less stressed. "It's my fault for not believing any of us in the family could break free of our hereditary semblance."

"Mother, no one could have expected this." Winter defended as she examined her little sister's new form, wondering if she would be okay still.

"Maybe not, but as your mother, I should have-." She stopped when she felt Weiss pawing her arm.

The white wolf looked up at her mother. "Mama, please don't be upset. I'm… I'm a little happy about it now." Willow was pleasantly surprised by that. "I unlocked my semblance." Her tail wagged a bit, making Willow tear up a bit.

"Y-Yes, you really have, sweetie." Willow leaned her cheek down and nuzzled her daughter, still crying a bit as she thought about Lazuria, and how she wished she were with them to see how much her daughter has grown.

Winter ran her hand through her own hair, still trying to make sense of her sister's 'semblance', but when she saw how happy she was, it didn't seem to worry her as much.

* * *

 **Present Day.**

"That day was, unfair to you on how I reacted, little sister. I apologize for not being as self composed as I should have." Winter said, getting Weiss to sit back up and shake her head.

"I shouldn't be complaining about that, Winter." Weiss sighed. "How can anyone react otherwise when they see their little sister turning into a wolf?"

Winter did have to give her that. Not many people in the world would just sit there and accept that as nothing. "Even so, I'm still sorry I couldn't help as much as I could have."

Willow spoke up. "You two, enough. That was in the past, and everything worked out that day, so no sense in worrying so much about it."

"Mom is right." Weiss smiled at her big sister. "I'm… I'm really happy you were able to answer your scroll, Winter."

The Specialist nodded, but then a thought entered her mind and even she couldn't help herself but bring it up. "I know we said not to worry about the past… But I do recall one more thing that we discovered that day."

Weiss turned her head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Winter chuckled lightly to herself. "The moment that hit you when you saw your clothes on the floor."

Weiss' white fur was turning a shade of red on her cheeks, as she laid down and tried to hide her face with her paws. "Winter, you said you wouldn't bring that up!"

Ruby couldn't help but giggle too. "Hehe. I know about that whole thing too, Winter." She recounted initiation. "I'm gonna be helping her with it though. Being on the lookout for any peeping toms." She punched her fist against her palm. "And if I spot any, then they get to answer to Crescent Rose."

Winter raised an eyebrow. "Crescent Rose? Is that a family member of yours?"

The rose girl grinned and shook her head. "Nope! It's my scythe, and she'll make sure to cut down anyone who tries to look over when Weiss uses her semblance to change back."

"Hmm, well then I have nothing to worry about after all." Winter smiled as she looked over at her sister, who still had her paws on her face. "Oh stop, Weiss. It's nothing to be embarrassed about when you have a partner who will keep watch for you."

Weiss grumbled a bit and moved her paws away. "You still didn't have to tease me about that day…"

"No, but mother was bringing up a good point on us worrying so much, so I simply tried to light the mood." Winter explained.

Even though teasing did annoy her, Weiss couldn't help but smile as she sat up. "I suppose I can forgive you, this one time." Her tail swayed back and forth.

Winter playfully rolled her eyes and received a message on her scroll, making her sigh. "I apologize, but it looks like I'm needed for an assignment."

"Don't be sorry, dear." Willow said. "We know how busy you are, but if you ever find some free time, don't be afraid to give either of us a call. Okay?"

"Of course, mother." She looked to Weiss. "And you, little sister. Learn to not be so embarrassed about your semblance."

"Ugh… Fine." Weiss replied, but then she sniffled a bit. "It was really good to see you again, Winter. Good luck on your assignment, though, you probably don't need the luck."

Winter nodded. "Thank you, little sister. I love you both."

"We love you too." Both Weiss and her mother said as the video call ended, and the white wolf sighed a little in sadness.

"Don't worry, sweetie. She'll call back soon, I know it." Willow assured as she rubbed her daughter's back.

* * *

 **So the reason this chapter is longer than usual is because it was originally two chapters, cut off from right before the flashback occurs. I felt like it would be much better putting them together instead since they were pretty short otherwise. That and it felt right to keep the flashback in one chapter than doing it in two.**

 **To JJ- Summer and Willow are fun to write cause it's like trying out a future Ruby and Weiss, but also give them their own personalities too. And yeah, Blake is gonna have to learn to really be part of the team soon enough.**

 **To the guest on chapter 30- Thank you. Not sure which story you were reading, but I'm glad you're also enjoying this one of mine. And yeah, this story is truly my favorite to write at the moment.**

 **To GoldElite245- Her mouth does move with the words. It is funny to imagine, but with telepathy, I just feel like that's giving her way too much at that point.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 31. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 32.**


	32. Don't Avoid It

**Here's chapter 32, everyone.**

* * *

"When do you have to go back, mom?" Weiss asked as she and her mother were speaking alone, while Ruby, Blake and Yang were speaking with Summer about her new job.

Willow smiled and rubbed her fur a bit. "I'd say Summer and I, and are one other guest will be here for the weekend." She noticed how happy Weiss got with hearing that. "That doesn't mean you can skip out on homework while I'm here though."

"Come on, mom." Weiss grinned. "I have already finished up my homework during our free period, and the rest of the classes after that were simply combat courses."

"Overachiever, huh?" Willow chuckled and she felt a strong breeze, hearing her daughter sigh happily. "You always have loved the fresh air."

" _Just like Lazuria…"_

"Yes to both." Weiss answered. "Though I'm going to need to not get used to lazing about like this as much." Weiss said as she got on her paws and looked to Beacon. "Ruby is counting on all of us as a team, so that means I can't underperform."

Willow was proud of her daughter, but as a mother, she also was protective and needed to show that. "You can do that without going overboard like your silly mother."

That got Weiss' attention as she turned to face her mom. "What are you talking about?"

Willow folded her hands. "My aura training has been going well, though, I tend to go just a bit overboard on it." Weiss grew concerned. "My trainer would scold me about it of course, so take it from me, continue growing, but don't hurt yourself while doing so."

"Mom…" Weiss sighed a bit. "You should have told me about this sooner. Hearing that you're going overboard on this isn't helping me feel better about it."

"And when did my little snowflake become the parent here?" Willow joked, which made Weiss let out a small smile, but the white wolf leaned in and nuzzled her mom. "I'll be okay, sweetie. Promise."

"Okay, mom, and I promise not to go overboard either." Weiss continued to nuzzle her mom as the woman gently wrapped her arms around her neck.

Summer walked over, taking her scroll out quietly and snapping a picture of the two. "Hehe." She giggled to herself and as they seperated, the blacksmith coughed to get their attention, both Schnees looking over. "Willow, sorry to interrupt, but I got a message from you know who, and she's… Well, being her. So would it be okay if you maybe help me drag her butt over here?"

Willow sighed a bit, nodding to her friend. "Of course." She looked back at Weiss. "Sweetie, I'll be back in a bit. I need to go take care of something."

"Alright, mom. I'll stay out here with the others." Weiss said as she walked back to her team.

Summer put her scroll away and chuckled while shaking her head. "Man, this whole time your snowflake could become a wolf and I didn't know. Damn, how did you manage to keep this from me for so long?"

Willow shrugged. "You seem easy enough to fool at times, so I suppose you should blame yourself for that."

"Bleh." Summer stuck her tongue out, but she sighed when she thought about Raven. "Well, time to get her out of that room."

"If you want, I can go and get her." Willow offered. "Stay with the kids."

"Kids? Come on, Willow." Summer chuckled. "They're not kids anymore." She turned to smile proudly at the team. "They're a team of young huntresses in training now."

Willow took a moment to examine the team, watching as Ruby was making battle poses next to Weiss, who seemed to laugh a bit at her partner's poses, while Yang was sat next to Blake, both seeming to be having a discussion. It warmed her heart to see the team bonding, even if she didn't know two of them, her daughter and Blake, were having difficulties with each other.

"I suppose you're right." Willow remarked, having to understand that much. "Just stay here with them. I'll knock some sense into that old bird."

"Whoo, don't let her hear you call her that or she'll kick your ass." Summer warned with a grin, Willow simply rolling her eyes as she walked to the school. "Hehe." She headed back to the team, hoping to get some fun stories out of them.

* * *

"I swear if you try to touch anything else in this room, Raven Branwen, I will have Ozpin throw you out and ban you from coming back." Glynda glared at the black haired huntress who was walking around her office.

Raven leaned over to examine her bookcase, shaking her head at it. "Uh huh. So, you still keep the same old books around, but you never read them? Seems like a waste of space in here if you ask me."

"I wasn't." Glynda responded in an annoyed tone.

"Eh," Raven shrugged. "I still don't see any point in keeping books around that you won't even read."

Glynda raised her glasses up a bit. "I have read them all, you moron. And don't act like this is something only I do."

"Oh I never said only you do it." Raven pointed out. "I've had this talk with Willow Schnee as well, and I'll tell you this, if she couldn't give me a good enough answer for this, then you won't either."

The blonde professor continued to hate having to keep the black haired huntress in her office. "Why are you even here, Branwen? All you're doing is distracting me from my work."

"And annoying you, but that's not really so hard now, is it?" Raven smirked.

Glynda stood up from her chair and slammed her hands against the table. "I don't have time for your games, Branwen! You can either leave my office now, or sit down and stay quiet!"

Raven rolled her eyes. "Sheesh, I don't see how you're Ozpin's advisor when you get pissed off so easily." The black haired huntress returned her attention to a picture on the wall. "Hmm, this you?"

The blonde professor looked over at the picture and sighed. "Yes. It is. Now did you hear me or not?"

"Obviously." Raven looked closer at the picture, her eyes widened as she looked at the woman standing next to Glynda. "It's… Interesting to see you smiling here."

Glynda sat back down and shook her head. "Just shut your trap already."

Raven ignored her and continued to stare at the picture, but after hearing a knock on the door, she held her hand up to Glynda. "I'll get it." She walked over and opened it, revealing Willow. "Huh, I was just talking about you."

"I can only hope it was good thing said," Willow looked over Raven's shoulder at Glynda and waved to her. "I'm sorry for leaving her here with you, Glynda."

The blonde professor sighed and waved her off. "Just relinquish her from me, please."

"Talk about a whiner." Raven commented after leaving the room and closing the door behind her. "How do you two even know each other anyway?"

"A mutual friend of ours." Willow answered, not giving any more to it than that. "Now are you going to continue avoiding our deal or what?"

Raven crossed her arms as they walked down the halls. She glanced at the students who would walk by them, making her think about her daughter a bit. "Hmm."

"Is that all you're giving me here, Raven?" Willow questioned.

"What more do you want? You got me to come to Beacon, which if I recall, was the thing you specifically said you wanted me to do." Raven stated.

Willow was about to have a migraine. "You're kidding, right?" When she got no answer, she wanted to punch the huntress. "Look, you know why I wanted you to come to Beacon. You know why Summer wanted you to come to Beacon, so don't pretend like you don't."

"I'm. Not. Pretending." Raven growled. "And don't think I won't kick your ass if you try to overextend what you're saying here."

"Why are you so hard on everyone, including yourself?" Willow asked, stopping in her tracks as the raven haired huntress stopped as well.

"Because no one else will be." Raven answered without hesitation. "You don't get to walk away from it all and expect things to go swimmingly, Willow."

The white haired woman crossed her arms as she held a glare on the huntress. "And what of those who want it to go swimmingly? What about them? Do they simply get no say on the matter?"

Raven clenched her fist, which made Willow sigh. "I still don't see the point in distracting her."

"She wants to see you." Willow assured.

"You don't know that." Raven countered.

"Maybe I don't, but from what you said, it sounds to me like she really would. You were there for her when her father was injured, and if you could be there for her then, why can't you now?" Willow questioned, making sure no one was around to hear such a private conversation.

With the thought in mind, Raven shook it off. "That was different. She was distressed back then, and right now she'd be better off focusing on her training."

"You were the one who trained me, remember?" Willow reminded.

Raven turned to face the woman. "Your point?"

"Is that you know when to be a mom, and when to be a hard ass." Willow smirked. "So this is one of those times to show up as a mom, don't you think?"

"And when the hell have I been that? Out there," Raven pointed out one of the windows. "I'm a hunter. Survival is what I care about now more than anything."

Willow didn't buy it. "Don't give me that." Her voice was powerful and stern. "If all you cared about was surviving, you wouldn't have trained me, or accepted our deal. Or even came here in the first place."

Raven took a step forward to intimidate the white haired woman. "You really don't want to keep this going, Willow."

"I'm not about to back down from this," Willow stood perfectly still. "Not after busting my ass for that week."

"Ugh!" Raven turned around and walked off, earning a satisfied look from Willow.

Willow nodded to herself, knowing she got to her in some way. "You can be mad all you want, but you know what I did, and I know what you can do, Raven Branwen."

"Whatever." Raven shrugged her off as Willow caught up.

"They're waiting out in the courtyard." She said nothing else, earning an unamused look from the huntress, but she paid it no mind and continued leading the raven haired huntress outside.

* * *

Weiss yawned a little, feeling a bit bored and kinda tired while she noticed Summer was looking at her. "Um… Yes?" She knew what it was, and she sighed, lifting her head up. "Mrs. Rose, please-."

Summer waved her hands around to stop her from continuing. "No, no, it's nothing like that, little snowflake. I'm just thinking about the reason your mother asked me to make that second blade for Myrtenaster." She rubbed the back of her head, grinning a bit. "And it looks like I know now."

"Hmm?" Weiss wasn't sure what she was implying.

"Using a rapier as a wolf would be pretty tough, so I assume you use the other blade on it to fight when you're using your semblance." Summer guessed.

Weiss' ears perked up. "Well, yes actually." She was glad someone was able to not ask so many questions about her semblance and sat up. "It was a little difficult to learn at first, but mom let me train as much as I could."

"And it eventually got easy enough to fight like you do when you aren't a wolf." Summer finished. "Impressive, little snowflake."

The white wolf proudly wagged her tail a bit. "Thank you, Mrs. Rose."

Summer sighed a bit. "I still wish you would call me Summer."

Ruby giggled a bit. "You know how Weiss is, mom." She gasped and remembered something. "Oh! I was gonna ask! Would you ever be allowed to bring Zwei with you?"

"I don't see why not." Summer said as she ruffled Ruby's hair a bit. "Just as long as Glynda doesn't seem him running around, I'm sure Oz wouldn't be against it."

Yang perked up at that and sat up. "Oh man! Zwei would love it here! You know he's a battle corgi at heart."

Blake raised an eyebrow. "A… Battle Corgi?"

"Yup." Yang grinned. "Little guy is tough as nails, and seeing as Weiss is able to fight as a wolf, I don't see why Zwei couldn't either."

Weiss rolled her eyes. "First, I don't like that you're comparing me to a dog, you oaf." Before Yang could respond, the white wolf continued. "Second, there is a difference between a dog who is a family pet, and me, who has been training with a sword for six years."

"Well… When you put it that way, yeah that makes sense." Yang said, rubbing the back of her head. "And, uh, look, you know I wasn't compar-."

"I know, Xiao Long. I know." Weiss decided not to make it any more serious, wanting to just relax.

Yang sighed and nodded, accepting it as that, but when she looked over at the school, what she saw next made her heart drop. "M-Mom?"

* * *

 **Sorry this chapter is shorter than usual, but after the longer chapter last time, I hope it makes up for it. I tend to get the plot points of a chapter done, and then end it there. So if a chapter ends up as short as this one, it's because I didn't want to overextend it for no reason.**

 **To JJ- It's definitely fun to write those two together more and more. And yeah, the day she learned it was very, well you saw. And if you want to see art of an animal Weiss, then look up nagasawarwby on tumblr. They have really cute art of Ruby taking care of Weiss like that. And the whole fetch thing, that won't happen. Weiss only allows people to rub her fur, not treat her like an actual animal. That's basically crossing the line to her.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 32. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 33.**


	33. Or What?

**Here's chapter 33, everyone.**

* * *

Raven stopped when she saw her daughter had noticed her, but when she felt Willow holding her shoulder, she couldn't just run off. "She's already seen you, Raven. There's no reason to turn back now." She gave her an encouraging smile and patted her shoulder as she let go to walk back to the others.

As the white haired woman walked over though, she noticed Yang was getting up. She smiled at the sight as her slow walk changed into a run, going right passed the elder Schnee woman.

Yang made it to her mom, standing only ten feet away as she took a breath of air, looking at her like she was a dream. "Are you… Actually here right now?"

With a sigh, Raven nodded. "Yes. Blame your friend's mother for that."

"Do you… Not want to be here?" Yang asked, not sure how to feel exactly.

"You have more important things to worry about than me, Yang." Raven answered. "You're at Beacon now, and have no time for something like this."

"Something like this?" Yang repeated, looking hurt. "What? Wanting to talk to my own mother? How isn't that worth my time… Or is it not worth YOUR time?"

Raven felt that one. "This is exactly why I told that woman I didn't want to come." She muttered under her breath, watching as her daughter remained standing. "I'm not avoiding you because of anything I want, Yang. And you know that Summer is your mother."

"You're my birth mother." Yang reiterated, taking a step forward. "Why the hell are you so afraid to admit that? Well?" She started getting a bit angrier than expected.

"I'm not an idiot." Raven countered. "I gave birth to you, yes, but that woman," She pointed at Summer. "Is the one who raised you. Your father and I split up, Yang!"

Yang clenched her fists, hating how she yelled that out. "No shit you did! But that doesn't mean I don't want to see you!"

Some students began to look over, while others tried not to intrude. The others seemed to be worried about them, though Summer and Willow knew they needed to talk, even if it did resort to yelling.

"D-Did you even know I got accepted into Beacon… Or did you not even try to look into that?" Yang questioned, fighting back to urge to charge at her mother.

"I already knew you would… But yes, I asked your mother about it and she told me." Raven gave her the answer she really wanted.

"Why then…" Yang bit her lip. "Why ask her that and not show up to congratulate me, or even send a message? Not once did you try to reach out to me."

Raven sighed. "You're better off without me, Yang. I don't know how much I need to say that, but it's the truth." She saw her daughter take another step forward. "Look at the kind of people we are, Yang. I don't stay in one place for long. Survival is what I've grown accustomed to."

"And?!" Yang yelled. "Survival this, survival that, why the hell can't you visit your family if you move around so much like you say?!" Her lilac eyes changing into the blood red that her mother shared.

"Don't act like a child because you can't handle how different people are!" Raven ordered.

Yang challenged her by getting close enough with her flames now active. "Or what…"

Raven crossed her arms. "Why do you want me around… Why do you want this? I left your father alone with you…"

"You did," Yang couldn't forgive that, but she didn't want to hate her mother either. "But why can't I want you in my life? Tell me that. And don't just say I'd be better off."

"Because… Because you have a functional family with Summer and your father." Raven stated truthfully, looking away from her daughter as the conversation was starting to get to her. "Stepping in the way of that would do nothing but hurt you."

"That's a load of crap." Yang flared up, making her mother turn back to see the scarlet in her eyes were still there. "Dad never hated you, yet you try to play this off like you can't be around him."

"It's more than just your father." Raven stated as she stomped her foot on the grass. "Summer, your father, your sister, you… Even my drunk of a brother. That is a family. I add nothing to it but stress."

Yang took a deep breath, calming herself down a bit. "The only stress you've ever given me is the stress of not seeing you…"

Raven could hear the truth in her words, but it didn't make it easier to accept. "You'll get over it and learn to thank me later when you become a huntress-."

"Do you love me or not?" Yang got to the point after her red eyes changed back to lilac.

"W-What?" Raven was taken aback, and Yang simply turned around to walk back to the others, almost crying as she did, but Raven suddenly felt something and ran up to her. "H-Hey, don't just walk off from your mother!"

Yang let out a small smile and a tear fell. She turned to face Raven, showing her the smile she had and the tears she shed, uttering two words. "Or what…"

Raven wasn't sure what she felt at that moment, whether it be guilt, happiness, sadness, acceptance or a combination of all four, she felt it nonetheless. "I-I'm… I'm sorry…"

The blonde brawler knew her mother wouldn't make the first move, so she leaned in and hugged her as gently as she could. "I know…"

Summer watched as Raven began to slowly hug her daughter back, happy at how she was finally not punishing herself for past problems. "Thank goodness." The blacksmith whispered to herself.

Willow thought about how much Raven beat herself up, and even wondered if she'd ever be able to forgive herself, but after seeing her hugging her daughter, she knew not to worry anymore.

" _It's… Similar to Lazuria and I… One mother leaves, and the other wishes they could stay."_

It made Willow tear up, as she only wanted Lazuria to have the right to live freely having a daughter. Weiss was the reason she kept on staying as a wolf for so long, even back then. She wanted her daughter to be born the way she was, but even after all that, she was still not allowed to keep her.

" _I wish you were here now…"_

"Mom?" Weiss' concerned voice snapped Willow out of her thoughts as the white wolf looked up at her. "You're crying. A-Are you okay? And… Isn't that-?"

Willow wiped away a tear. "Yes, sweetie. That's her birth mother, and I'm crying because I'm happy for them." Weiss did know of Raven, but not as much as Summer since Yang had ever only told her that Raven was her birth mother and left her father years ago.

Blake was overhearing the conversation, surprised by the news of Yang's birth mother not being Summer. It made sense to her though, since her question on why she and Ruby had different last names was answered.

"Oh." Weiss could understand why her mom was crying, given the reason, but to know the real reason wasn't allowed for her. "I've seen her a few times when you took me to Mrs. Rose's workshop."

"She's very hard to talk to at first." Willow chuckled a little, trying to calm down a bit.

Ruby sat up and folded her legs, smiling for her big sister as she leaned over and rested her head on her mom's arm. "I can't believe aunt Raven is here too."

Summer found it cute that Ruby would always refer to Raven as her aunt. "Had to drag her butt down here with Willow's help."

"Yang looks really happy." Ruby snuggled up on her mother, feeling her wrapping an arm around her as they rested.

Blake looked on as her partner was openly crying her eyes out. She didn't see that side of Yang yet. " _I can't blame her for not telling me about this."_ Secrets were what she herself continued to keep, and in turn she hated herself for it.

Yang slowly pulled away from the embrace and wiped away a tear. "H-Haha, look at me, crying where Ruby and Weiss can see." She grinned a bit, still feeling tears fall. "I-I must look like a crybaby, huh?"

Raven ran her hand through her own hair, a few tears falling as well. "Don't start. My daughter shouldn't be such a crybaby…"

"Hehe… I take after my mom." Yang countered as she gently grabbed her mother's arm. "Come on, let me introduce you to my team."

"Well I know your sister and…" Raven's eyes widened when she looked over, seeing a white wolf laying on the grass next to Willow. "Yang… There's a wolf." Her thoughts went to Lazuria, the only other white wolf she had seen in recent time, but her size was much larger than the wolf she laid eyes upon at that moment.

"Oh, uh, haha, funny story about that." Yang rubbed the back of her mane. "Ya see, Weiss has a really cool semblance that lets her be a wolf, and it's crazy. I say that cause, well, her family is supposed to have glyphs and stuff, so this is kinda different, y'know?"

Raven couldn't think straight, but after a few moments, she simply shook her head and nodded. "Yes… Different." She allowed her daughter to lead her over to her team.

"Nice of you to finally show up," Summer grinned. "Did you and Glynda have a nice chat?"

"Shut it." Raven said immediately shut her down.

Summer chuckled and got up, beckoning her daughter to follow her, so Ruby got to her feet and looked a little nervous. "U-Um, hi, aunt Raven."

Raven crossed her arms and gave her an unamused look. "Why are you this shy? Your mother should have made you grow out of that."

Ruby yelped and hid behind Summer's arm, slightly intimidated by the raven haired huntress. "Uh, well… I mean, I'm not that shy… I'm team leader, so I need to be-."

"Ah, so you are the team's leader." Raven glanced at Summer. "Similar to your mother, both small enough to be considered children still, yet both of you were made leader."

Summer scoffed at that. "Ugh, you're still jealous about that, aren't you?"

"I don't see any reason to be. Training here was all I wanted." Raven shrugged her off, earning a groan from the white cloaked woman, but she focused her attention on Weiss. "And you… So, Willow didn't tell me her youngest daughter had a semblance like this."

Weiss sat up and nodded. "I'm just waiting to see how you'll really react."

Raven raised an eyebrow at that, so Yang spoke up. "Yeah, ya see, everyone who finds out at first is pretty shocked and asks her a ton of questions about it."

"Hmm, well I don't see a reason to." Raven said, not admitting her curiosity was in fact the strongest amongst everyone there at the moment. "If this is your semblance, there isn't much to it than that."

Weiss sighed in relief. "Thank you! Finally, someone who is able to understand what a semblance is."

Yang playfully rolled her eyes and sat on the grass. "Relax, ice wolf. It ain't like people can't be curious about it." She leaned her back against the tree. "Actually, I was wondering, ever thought about wearing armor?"

"Huh?" Weiss' ears perked up.

"Armor. For when you're a wolf." Yang reiterated.

"That seems like a lot of work, Yang." Weiss expressed the concern. "I don't really know-."

Ruby cut in. "I-I think it would be a good idea, Weiss." The white wolf looked over at her partner. "Y-You got cut during initiation cause your semblance took a lot of your aura to use, remember?"

Willow's eyes widened at that. "What?! Weiss, why didn't you tell me you were injured?!"

Weiss sighed and Raven rolled her eyes. "Because of how you're acting now, idiot." The raven haired huntress defended. "Seriously, she's a huntress in training. Injuries are to be expected."

"Mom, I don't know if the blunt approach is the best way to handle this here." Yang spoke up.

Raven shook her head and looked down at Willow. "No I think it is. This one here is one of the reasons why I'm here, so if she can't get over her own daughter getting injured-."

The black haired huntress was met with Willow standing up and pulling Raven's arm to get her away from the others. Weiss however was tired of sitting back and got on her paws to chase after them.

"Uh… Should we get involved?" Yang asked.

Summer sighed and shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know. Today has been really, really tiring, so mom wants to get some rest. Can you show me to your dorm?"

Yang got up and stretched. "Yeah I can do that." She offered her hand to Blake. "Come on, partner. Let's give mom the grand tour."

Blake didn't hesitate anymore to take Yang's hand, feeling comfortable to the point where she didn't need to question it. "Sure." She let out a small smile and Summer got up to follow.

"Are you coming with us, little rose?" Summer asked her daughter.

"Hmm, nah, remember that I promised to be Weiss' lookout for her so she can change back without being worried." Ruby reminded. "Just hoping Weiss' mom isn't gonna be too upset… I feel like I may have messed up for bringing up that she got hurt."

"You were expressing concern for your partner, little rose. I'm sure Willow won't be too hung up on it for long." Summer assured and yawned a bit. "I'll be in your dorm for a nice nap, sweetie." She leaned down and kissed her forehead.

Ruby smiled and watched as her mom, sister and teammate head back into Beacon. She turned her attention over to her partner, Willow and Raven, hoping they weren't arguing too much.

"Mom, I'm not a child anymore." Weiss tried to defend, but Willow was still in mother mode.

"I'm still upset that you chose to not let me know that you were injured during initiation, young lady." Willow said with her arms crossed.

Raven was annoyed at how she was acting. "Seriously? You told me a few times that your kid here wants to be a huntress and now you're getting all worried about it?"

"I'm her mother!" Willow yelled.

"And I'm right here!" Weiss shouted back, surprising Willow since she didn't yell at her like that before. "Mom… I've had this talk with so many people, please don't let me have it again with you after how much you've told me I can become a huntress."

Willow wasn't a fool, and she knew exactly what Weiss was requesting. "I… I'm not trying to stop you from doing this, or getting overly worried. I would have just liked to know about what happened."

"My aura healed it, mom. There wasn't really much of a point to bring it up." Weiss stated, still in her wolf form as she got some looks from other students.

"There is a reason…" Willow muttered. "Snowflake, I just want you to tell me these things okay."

"Only if you promise not to overreact about it." Weiss pleaded.

Willow sighed and Raven cut in. "Look, she's obviously tired of having this talk, and she can handle herself in a fight if initiation has told you anything, so just get over it already."

"Ugh." She hated how Raven was right, so Willow knelt down by her daughter and nodded. "Okay, I promise that I won't overreact again, sweetie."

Weiss was glad to hear that and leaned in to nuzzle her mother a bit. "Thank you."

* * *

 **So with altered history for characters, people like Raven will be different, and even though at this point I don't really have to say that, I still felt it was good to remind people that with how she is in this chapter. Even in the show she felt bad in the end, and even cried, so here she has her own guilt to deal with.**

 **To JJ- Yeah, there will be times where she nuzzles people she loves/cares about, so that's something. Zwei will show up, just not immediately, but I can promise that he will. I still can't wait to get more of what Glynda has to do in this story, as it's more than just bickering with her. And yeah, Yang finally got to speak with her mom after awhile. Hope ya liked it.**

 **To GoldElite245- Haha, yeah that fits. What did you think of that talk they had? And I believe I watched it too, but I may be thinking of something else. Not sure, but yes, talking and seeing her mouth moving is better in my opinion for this. And I'm glad you're liking my wolf Weiss story. It's been a fun one to write.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 33. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 34.**


	34. Unwanted Call

**Here's chapter 34, everyone.**

* * *

"These bunk beds look ridiculous." Raven commented as she walked in to the RWBY dorm. "Even Summer didn't think of anything like this."

It was the Saturday after, and Summer was trying to give Raven and Willow a tour of their kid's dorm. "Ugh, come on, it's not… That bad." She tried defending, while Willow simply looked mortified. "Uh, Willow? You okay there?"

Willow knew which bed was her daughter's and wanted to report it to the headmaster to get them better bunk beds immediately. "I am not allowing my daughter to sleep under that deathtrap," She eyed Raven. "And before you say anything, Branwen, this is not an overreaction. That is unsafe on so many levels."

"Hey, don't look at me. I actually agree with you for once." Raven said, surprising the other two women. "I mean, I don't give a crap about bunk beds, but that just looks stupid."

Summer placed her hands on her hips and looked offended for her daughter. "Excuse you, but Ruby's ideas are far from stupid. They are unique and I think with a bit more of a fixer upper, it'll be perfect."

Raven walked over to Blake and Yang's side of the room and held her hand near one of the book piles holding up the top bunk. "All this needs is one push. One accidental push."

"I-I said it needs a fixer upper is all." Summer reminded, while Willow shook her head, annoyed with how the beds were even considered.

She didn't have much time to think on it though since her scroll went off. "Hmm?" The white haired woman retrieved it from her bag and sighed at who it was. "I'll need to take this. You two… Find a way to get these death traps sorted out."

"Is it him?" Summer asked, knowing the answer already as Willow nodded. "You could-."

"Avoiding him has only caused Whitley to become the messenger, and I can't keep doing that to him." Willow stated as she left the dorm and answered her scroll. "Jacques."

Her husband scoffed at how she spoke to him. "That's how you greet your husband you've obviously done horribly to avoid these past few weeks? Is that right, Willow?"

Willow rolled her eyes, finding a balcony to stay on so she could have her privacy while speaking. "What do you want?"

"Disrespectful…" Jacques sighed, not caring how his wife felt. "Clearly you still wish to act like a child, so tell me this, why do you continue to-."

"I answered here, didn't I?" Willow had it with her husband, knowing he'd be angry with how she spoke to him, but she didn't care. "Our son has told me all I need to know about what you're up to, so I see no real reason for us to talk, Jacques."

"Is that so?" Jacques challenged. "You haven't been in the manor as much, ever since… That girl left for that vile school."

Willow clenched his teeth in anger. "Do not refer to my daughter that way."

"Hmm, yes, YOUR daughter." Jacques repeated. "With her out of the manor, you don't seem to have any reason to stay, is that how you view it?"

"Excuse you, but I do have a reason to stay. Our son, the one you continue to pressure each and every day." Willow wanted to reach through the scroll and punch her husband herself.

Jacques scoffed once more. "A son who has shown greater promise than either daughter you chose to-."

"Don't start, Jacques!" Willow yelled, not wanting to hear anymore, and she knew that one or two passerbys most likely heard her, but she was beyond giving a crap about that. "If you even think about continuing to speak down about my children-."

"You'll what?" Jacques questioned, cutting her off.

Willow bit her lip. She didn't know what she COULD do. Divorce would divide her son from her family even more so, and she'd lose her family's company to Jacques for good. "You're a despicable man… Do you honestly take pride in hurting your family this much?"

"I've kept this family from crumbling away, or do you not remember how I allowed you to bring in that orphan." His words made Willow almost crack her scroll in her grip. "Or how I allowed Winter to attend Atlas Academy?"

"She would have done that without your permission, and you damn well know that." Willow stated.

"Hmm, yes, you still try to find the other way to phrase my generosity." Jacques replied. "Our son is going to take over the company because of MY guidance. Winter is already a barbaric Specialist in that foolish General's army, and your daughter is attending an equally barbaric school. All because I allowed them to."

Willow slammed her fist against the wall of the balcony, her aura keeping her from hurting her hand. "Don't you dare undermine their hard work! You act like you're some savior, but I know who you really are, Jacques Gelè!"

She couldn't see it, but Willow was sure her husband's eyes widened with anger. "How… How dare you speak to me that way, woman! I'll be sure to remind you who you're speaking to!"

"A man who I wish I left years ago…" Willow said, her heart racing as she couldn't stop herself from saying those words.

Jacques himself had a risk in her words as well, knowing how hard it would be to convert the Schnee Dust Company into his own if Willow divorced him. "You and I… Will have words when I return to Atlas." With that, he ended the call.

Willow's hands were shaking. She couldn't imagine what to do next, since her words had implied so much, to the point where she began to cry, feeling like she broke the last chain that could hold her family together.

Before she knew it, she felt someone wrapping their arms around her. "It's gonna to be okay." Summer's voice soothed, as Willow couldn't stop crying. "Whatever he said… I'm gonna help you fight it. And I'm not taking no for an answer this time."

All Willow could do was cry and slowly she fell to her knees, Summer following her down. "H-He… I can't… He's ruining everything."

"I know." Summer was angry. "You need to tell me everything."

With a sniffle, Willow nodded, recounting the call with her friend.

* * *

"What would you wanna ask my mom to upgrade for Myrtenaster?" Ruby asked her partner as they were sat down in the cafeteria, eating some lunch. "I'd say… Hmm… Maybe add a cool revolver barrel where the blades would be."

Weiss raised an eyebrow as she wiped her mouth clean with a napkin. "That would be a third form I couldn't even use with my semblance properly. Besides, I have dust for long ranged attacks."

"Well yeah, but it has a revolver chamber and everything! Don't you think it would fit?" Her partner continued to try and convince.

The white haired teen shrugged. "I honestly don't want to change Myrtenaster, Ruby. The way it is now, I find it to be perfect for me."

Yang cut in. "She's got you there, sis. And besides, you take the most pride in weapons here, so you should kinda understand where she's coming from."

"I-I do, I was just saying that she has options now that mom is working here." Ruby explained.

Blake was barely paying attention to the conversation, mostly because she was wondering how to feel about the two Schnees that were in the school. First it was the talk she and Weiss had, even seeing how she interacted with others, then it was Willow. How she was kind and loving, and nowhere near what she thought she'd be. The woman even bowed to her, though Blake wondered if she still would have if she knew about her cat ears.

"Hey, you wanna spar again?" Yang whispered to her partner, startling her in her seat a bit. Luckily for her, Ruby and Weiss were too busy in their own conversation to notice. "Sorry, just saw you spacing out again."

"I-It's fine, and I don't know. I'm not feeling up to sparring." Blake replied.

"Then how about we just take a walk?" Yang offered with a smile.

That smile again. It was the easiest way to get Blake to feel comfortable, so she simply nodded and got up from her seat. "Hmm? Are you going somewhere, Blake?" Ruby had asked.

Yang answered for her partner. "We're gonna go for a walk. I hate sitting around anyways." The blonde stood up and stretched a bit. "Try not to start a food fight in here, sis. At least not when I'm around, cause you know I'd wanna be here for that." She grinned and the two partners started heading to the exit.

Weiss paid attention to how Blake was more than Yang at that point, so when Ruby noticed she was staring at them as they were leaving, she poked the top of her head. "Eh? Ruby, don't poke me!" She exclaimed.

"Hehe. Sorry, but you were staring." Ruby remarked. The white haired teen sighed and laid her head on the table, earning a confused look from Ruby. "What's wrong?"

"I… You're our leader, so you honestly deserve to know that… Blake and I aren't exactly that great at exchanging words with each other." Weiss began.

Ruby frowned at that, feeling guilty that she hadn't noticed. "O-Oh."

Weiss raised her head up, shrugging a bit. "It's not something you would have known about, Ruby. I spoke to her about some things, and she agreed to at least work together as a team out on the field."

"But we're more than just a team, Weiss." Ruby gently spoke. "If this is more serious than you're letting on, I need to know." Her voice surprised Weiss, but it made her feel proud. "Please, Weiss."

"You dork…" Weiss smiled and took a breath. "Blake isn't fond of my family, which, all in all, I can't blame her too much." Ruby didn't like the sound of that, but she waited for her partner to continue. "My father is mostly to blame. She says she hates the way the company treats people, and I chose to not apologize on their behalf."

"W-Well you shouldn't have to apologize." Ruby defended.

Weiss sighed. "That's what I said too, but there is still a distaste she has for the Schnee name. And while I wish she didn't, I can't just up and change her opinion of me and my family."

Ruby crossed her arms with a huff. "I can't believe I didn't notice what was going on with my team… I need to talk with her."

"No. You don't." Weiss stated, confusing Ruby. "I've spoken with her, and so has Yang. It's like I said, Ruby. I can't change her opinion of me just like that, but… Maybe with time we can both get to know each other a bit more."

"I still feel like I should get involved here." Ruby spoke up. "And not just because I'm the leader. Even if I wasn't, this is a team issue."

Weiss enjoyed hearing Ruby say that, because it showed she was right for the role as leader, even though she did still feel some jealousy about it. "I understand that you want to be, Ruby."

"So then why are you telling me not to talk with her?" Ruby questioned.

"Because making her have the same conversation over and over is tiring." Weiss crossed her arms. "Take it from me. I was getting sick of having to explain my semblance to everyone."

Ruby rubbed the back of her head and chuckled nervously. "Heh… Yeah, sorry about that."

"It's fine, but look, I'd like her to come to me about this. I don't know how long that would take… But if it does go on too long, then let me be the one to try and talk with her again. Okay?" Her request was simple enough, even though Ruby wished she could do more.

"I-I guess. Just promise to let me know what's going on. I don't like being in the dark when it comes to the team." Ruby expressed her concern well enough for Weiss to nod.

"Promise." Weiss moved her tray a bit away. "I think that's enough lunch for me. Would you like to head to the library? I believe you still have some studying to do."

"Ugh, I thought you'd forget…" Ruby grumbled as Weiss playfully rolled her eyes.

The white haired teen got up and held her hands on her hips in a haughty expression. "Like I would allow you to falter on your studies." When Ruby groaned, Weiss simply smirked. "You're stuck with me as a partner, so get up and let's get going."

"I thought I was the leader who gets to make the orders." Ruby pouted as she got to her feet.

"Out on the field, but schoolwork is my element, and as such, I need to make sure you aren't slacking off." Weiss remarked as she took Ruby's hand, making the rose girl blush a bit. "I'm sure you'll have enough free time after to goof off with whatever you do."

Ruby was still blushing, but after being dragged to the exit, she couldn't help but smile at how Weiss was with her. The most they ever got were visits that happened within months of each other, but at Beacon, they got to spend every day together, and that made Ruby happier than she ever felt.

* * *

 **And Jacques is still a douchebag. No shocker there. Not much to say here, since it's more of a set up chapter, for both the team, and Willow's issues with Jacques.**

 **To JJ- Raven is keeping things on the downlow for now, since she's got her own story to go through, but yeah, I'm glad you enjoyed their talk. And the battle armor was more of a joke, but I may do something with it. Not sure yet.**

 **To GoldElite245- Thanks. Yang knows she wants Raven to be in her life, but Raven is too stubborn to let herself back in. And I looked it up, wow, that was a nostalgia bomb with the Balto movie. I watched it when I was a kid.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 34. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 35.**


	35. Trust You?

**Here's chapter 35, everyone.**

* * *

Raven shook her head in disgust. "I told you that moron needs to be dealt with, Summer." She kept her voice down, since both women were waiting outside of the teacher's bathroom, wanting to give Willow her privacy she was clearly still crying about her call with Jacques. "Willow isn't going to budge."

Summer's saddened expression agreed with Raven. "You know how hard this is for her when the risk is so huge."

"She's got places to go, and enough money to give her son food on the table every day." Raven stated. "And yeah, it's her family's company, but who the hell cares when its image has been tainted this much?"

"Willow does, and that's what matters here." Summer said in a serious tone. "I hate him, okay… I really, really hate that man, and if I could, I'd go up and break his back." She sighed. "But I can't."

Raven ran her hand through her black hair, shaking her head again. "Look, you told me she already said to him that they should have split up years ago, right?" When Summer nodded, Raven continued. "Okay, well now he knows a hundred percent that she hates his guts."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean she wants to lose her family legacy, and possibly her son to him in a legal custody battle. You know how much pain she'd be in if that happened." Summer spoke softly.

"This right here is messing her up already." Raven pointed out.

"I know that, okay." Summer slightly raised her voice, hating how she couldn't do a damn thing at the moment. "I'm trying to think about how we can help her, so just… Stop trying the whole I told you so shtick and help me think."

The black haired huntress shrugged. "You're asking the wrong person, seeing as I divorced Tai…" She sighed, knowing Summer would try to make a big deal out of it. "Willow just needs to get her son and leave. That's all I can say."

"And if she can't take her son? What then?" Summer questioned.

"I don't know." Raven answered honestly. "I barely know much about her business, and all I really am to her is just her aura and semblance trainer."

"You're also her friend." Summer reminded.

Raven rolled her eyes. "I don't see where you got that impression. That woman and I argue more than I try talking to Qrow. And besides, I can't stand her."

Summer let out a chuckle. "Uh huh. Is that why you agreed to train her, and why she busted her butt working so hard to get a second glyph going so you would come here?" When Raven said nothing, Summer continued. "Stop being so dark and mysterious and accept that you two are friends, and that you know deep down you want to help."

"There's a difference between helping and having a reason to kick a moron off his high horse." Raven retorted, but Summer knew she really just wanted to help. "Besides, I told you what she needs to do already."

"I-I know." Summer looked to the bathroom door and took a breath. "This isn't going to be so easy."

Raven scoffed. "Really? Because it should be. Take the kid, leave the moron. Simple enough in my book."

"Lose her-." Summer tried to fire back, but Raven stopped her.

"Yeah, yeah, family legacy and all that crap." Raven groaned and walked over to the exit of the teacher's lounge. "I'm not sure what else you want me to do, Summer."

"Where are you going?" Summer asked, wishing she'd stay to support Willow.

Raven opened the door as she glanced over her shoulder. "I've got some things I need to do. Tell me what this one says later." With that, she walked out, knowing Summer would be upset about it, but she wanted to find something out.

Summer sat down on one of the chairs, keeping an eye on the restroom door. "Willow…" A few moments passed and the white haired woman walked out of the restroom, sniffling a bit as it was clear she had washed her face of the tears she had shed. "Hey." Willow walked over to sit next to Summer, not saying a word as she rested her head on the blacksmith's shoulder. "We're gonna fix this. I promise."

"I hope so…" Willow gently spoke, thinking about her kids. "I should have… I should have left when I was pregnant with Whitley. At least then-."

"Hey, don't do that to yourself." Summer pleaded when she straightened Willow up in her seat. She got in front of her friend and placed both hands on her shoulders. "Raven was telling me that… Maybe if you can, get Whitley out of that place and just… Leave."

Willow was debating that option many times in the past, but it always ended up with her thinking about how she'd abandon her family legacy. "My father… He started the company, Summer."

Summer could hear the pain in her voice, so she cupped her cheek and nodded. "I know, but at this point, your father would rather you be happy."

Sniffling, Willow just lowered her head. "I don't… I don't wish that I met another man, since… If I wasn't with Jacques, Winter," She had to keep up the lie about Weiss' true parents. "Weiss and Whitley wouldn't be here."

"And you should be happy how you raised three kids on your own, because you know damn well that man is not a father." Summer didn't like to use words like that often, but she would in situations like that.

"I am happy… But I'm scared that the consequences will be much greater." Willow said, and Summer understood why.

"Well, do you at least feel like you could get Whitley out of there? I mean, that would be a good start, right?" Summer continued to suggest.

Willow shrugged. "His father keeps him busy most of the day, and honestly, if I tried to explain to him that I wanted to leave his father and take him with me… I doubt he'd want to come with me."

"You don't know that," Summer helped Willow stand up, surprising her. "You had two weeks of aura and semblance training with Raven Branwen. You can handle talking to your son about this if you can handle that woman." She smiled.

"D-Don't say such things… She could be listening." Willow lightly chuckled with Summer, but it didn't last as she held her right arm and rubbed it a bit. "Do you… Could you maybe come with me to Atlas on Monday?"

"Like you have to ask." Summer responded with an assuring grin. "I'll hold your purse for you if you need to lay the smack down on that man."

Willow rolled her eyes. "Please. I wouldn't resort to that… At least not immediately."

"Hehe." Summer pulled her into a hug, making Willow yelp. "I'll be there. I promise. And when you speak with your son, don't just tell him what you think is best for him… Ask him what HE wants, and don't accept the answer Jacques would normally make him give. He's your son too and he's allowed to be his own person."

"S-Summer…" Willow bit her lip, realizing that she too was a bit at fault, trying to pull her son away from things when she only thought it was best for him. "You're right, you're absolutely. Thank you for reminding me of that."

"What are best friends for, right?" Summer pulled away and gave her a cheeky grin, and Willow wiped a stray tear away, feeling a bit more confident about her return to Atlas.

* * *

"And what are YOU doing back here?" Glynda asked when she opened the door for Raven. "I was hoping Mrs. Rose would keep you away from my office."

Raven rolled her eyes and pushed passed the professor, who scowled at her in return. "Stop being so bitchy and hear me out for a second." Glynda growled at the comment, but Raven continued. "I have a few questions for you, and I'd rather you not be huffing and puffing while I ask them."

Glynda shook her head in annoyance and walked over to her desk. "And why should I give you the time of day? You're clearly not deserving of my time."

"Man, you are seriously worse than I thought." Raven remarked as she walked over to the picture she noticed the last time she was in Glynda's office. "How long do I have to wait to ask you some questions?"

The blonde professor noticed the black haired huntress was looking at the picture, so she sighed and sat on her chair. "Just make it quick."

Raven looked closely at the picture. "This is a nice picture… Though I don't think I've ever seen this person before, and I'm sure I would have at one point if-."

"Enough." Glynda cut her off. "You wouldn't know her because she died years ago."

The black haired huntress turned, noticing how Glynda was looking down at her desk. "Didn't mean to bring up something like that… But she just looked familiar is all." Even though the blonde professor looked hurt, Raven was going to continue questioning her. "What was her name?"

Glynda raised her head up and gave her a quizzical look. "Why do you want to know?"

"Humor me." Raven responded, not moving away from the picture.

"Her name was Lazuria Okami." The confirmation was all Raven needed. "And she was… A very talented huntress in training. Well, she was a huntress. That was our graduation picture, but… Not too long after, I was informed that she was killed in action…" Glynda's voice was filled with pain, and Raven sighed a bit.

"I'm sorry for your loss." Raven offered, stepping away from the picture. "A lot of people in the world can look the same, so I guess it was just a coincidence. I'll get out of your hair."

Glynda got out of her chair. "Hold on." The raven haired huntress turned back around as Glynda stepped around her desk. "Are you implying that you saw someone who looks like her?"

"Yes, but it's not her if she was killed in action. Again, sorry for bringing it up." Raven said, noticing Glynda wasn't going back to her desk. "What?"

"I… Nothing. Forget it." The blonde professor walked back to her desk and opened her scroll. "Go on now. You got to ask your questions."

Raven said nothing and left the office, closing the door behind her as she thought about Lazuria. " _Willow… Now Goodwitch, and why was she said to be K.I.A? Clearly she's alive, and this Marked business… Ugh, great. I'm already dug into this. Might as well keep going."_

* * *

"Was there any real reason you wanted to go out for a walk?" Blake asked her blonde partner as the two were strolling down the halls.

"Eh, you didn't seem too into wanting to eat lunch, so I feel like a good walk could lift your spirits, y'know." Yang explained as she held stretched her arms a bit. "So, anything on your mind?"

That was a question that Blake felt she had way too many answers for. "A lot, but… One comes to mind. Your mother, not Summer, but your birth mother." Yang was ready for anything on that topic. "Is she the reason you and Ruby have different last names?"

Yang chuckled a bit. "That's your first question about that? Ha, well, not exactly. I took our dad's last name and she took her mom's last name because… I don't know, it rolls off the tongue better?"

"Is that really all?" Blake inquired.

"Yup." Yang nonchalantly answered. "Not everything needs to be complicated."

"I guess not." Blake sighed a bit and decided to stop the blonde by grabbing her arm. "Um, could we… Talk?"

The tone she was using was enough to get Yang to get serious, so she nodded. "Yeah, but let's find a private place. I doubt you'd want any of these people listening in." She pointed out to the other students who were down the hall. Blake followed her partner back to their dorm, finding that no one was there at the moment, so they walked in and closed the door behind them. "Alright, let's talk then."

Blake took a breath. "Is there anything you'd like to ask me? Anything at all? I'll… Try to answer."

"Ask you? Huh… I mean, what's your favorite color?" Yang asked, confusing the cat Faunus. "What? You said I can ask you anything, sooooo, what's your favorite color?"

"Y-Yang, you know what I meant." When her partner said nothing, Blake groaned. "Purple."

"Neat. Well, anything you wanna ask me? We can go back and forth on-."

"Yang! I'm being serious!" Blake yelled, making her partner sighed as she crossed her arms and looked away, thinking about what Blake asked of her. "Are you going to say anything or no-?"

"What's up with your leg?" Yang instantly asked, knowing it was time to finally get an answer.

Blake's eyes widened and she figure that was one of the possible questions. "I… Just… Hold on." She sat on her bed and removed her right boot, Yang feeling her heart racing as she had suspicions about it. Blake lifted her stocking up, Yang's eyes closed when she saw it. "How did you know…"

Yang opened her eyes, seeing the multiple scars on her partner's right leg. "I've… Seen you rubbing that leg a lot… And some of the things you've said." She bit her lip and wanted to punch the wall. "Damn it, Blake." Hearing that surprised the cat Faunus. "Why did you hide this from me? I get we haven't known each other for long, but still…"

"This… Isn't what I like to talk about." Blake said in reference to her scars.

"Yeah, no shit." Yang looked down at an angle. "Not a lot of people like talking about their scars, but hell, I still hate how you're hiding this kind of pain from me. I'm your partner!"

"Well the last partner I had was the reason I have these scars!" Blake shouted, tears forming on the corners of her eyes as Yang was shocked by what she had just admitted. "That word… Partner! It means nothing to me!"

Yang punched the wall, more so out of anger at herself. "Damn it… I…" She couldn't form words and ran over, hugging her black haired partner. "I'm sorry… I didn't know."

Blake pushed her off, making the blonde frown a bit. "Don't touch me."

"Please, Blake." Yang begged as she lowered her arms. "I'm not like that person… Whoever they are. I'm not like them and I swear that I never will be. You can-."

"Trust you? Is that what you were about to say?" Blake's tears began to show, falling on their dorm room floor. "He… Said the same thing."

Yang was given a bit more confirmation on some things, and she took a step back, feeling terrible for her partner. "That bastard isn't here, Blake. Whoever he is, he's not here to hurt you, and no one else is here to hurt you either."

Blake visibly shook, her thoughts about the last couple of weeks filled her head. But even then, she could picture Yang. Her smile, her hand being offered to her, and just the feeling she had whenever the blonde spoke to her. When more tears fell, she walked towards Yang and buried her face into the blonde's shoulder.

Feeling that, Yang refused to let her cry alone and wrapped her arms around her partner. The scars on her leg filled Yang's mind, and her lilac eyes became red. All she wanted to do was comfort her partner, and then find the guy who hurt her so she could break him down, piece by piece.

* * *

 **Sorry for the sad Blake, but now you all know why she's against people laying a hand on her, and why it's hard for her to connect with people. This is just a small, or a big step for her to be able to really trust someone again. Also, now Raven knows that Glynda is even somewhat connected with Lazuria. So, more on Glynda and what she will go through in this story.  
**

 **To JJ- Willow at least told him how she really feels, and with that, we'll see the journey for her start on how to deal with Jacques. Maybe a certain bird will help her. And yeah, Ruby needed to know at least a bit, since she is the leader. And Weiss will always make her study. Haha.**

 **To Lotus-one- We'll see what Jacques will do in this story, and if Willow can really deal with him. Death is not exactly something he deserves, but definitely paying for his crimes is. As for Willow and Raven, if the story writes itself into it, I might, since they do spend time together.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 35. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 36.**


	36. I Won't Let It Happen Again

**Here's chapter 36, everyone.**

* * *

"Ya feeling a little better, partner?" Yang asked softly as she rubbed Blake's back, hearing her sniffling and feeling her tears whenever they traveled down to her arm. "You know me, I'll let you stay here as long as you need."

Blake only ever felt like she could cry to one other person in her life before, and with having a second, it was like a dream to her. "I-I'm sorry."

"Stop that." Yang spoke softly. "Let me see your face."

The request was so sudden, so Blake slowly pulled away, showing the tears that stained her cheeks, so Yang took her scarf off and started to gently rub her cheeks, making Blake blush lightly. "Y-You don't have to do this."

"I want to." Yang smiled, and after a bit of cleaning, she moved her scarf away. "There ya go."

Her tears had stopped falling partway through when Yang was cleaning her face up, and Blake sniffled a bit. "What makes you like this? So… Helpful."

Yang sat down on Weiss' bed and placed her scarf on her lap. "From how you talked about that last piece of trash you had as a partner, I can get why it's a bit surprising, but Blake, just because a lot of bad people are out there, doesn't mean there aren't others who want to care about you."

Her scars kept reminding her of the punishment she had endured, so she held her arm in response to what Yang had said. "Not a lot of people would want to… After knowing the kind of person I really am."

"Well those people can fuck off." Yang's swear surprised Blake. "No, I'm serious. They can miss out on getting to know someone as awesome as you," She smirked. "Just means I get you to myself."

"W-What? You don't…" Blake was at a loss for words.

"I still don't know everything about you, and… It's kinda exciting to be honest. Slowly learning more about you, it's… Rewarding. And I want you to know more about me too!" Yang cheered. "Like this one time, I was invited to a club for a few drinks, but I knew the guy was a total pig, so I beat him up, his two… Uh, sisters? I think? And a bunch of his thugs. Had the whole place shook!"

Blake blinked a few times. "You… Totaled a club?"

"Mhmm." Yang grinned proudly. "All in like, ten minutes. The perv even shot a rocket at me at one point, but don't ever tell my mom that, oh, uh, both of them. You know, my birth mom and-."

The cat Faunus couldn't help but let out a chuckle. "I know, Yang, I know." She walked over and sat next to the blonde, placing her hand on her right knee as she took a breath. "You're the first person I've decided to show this to."

"I'm glad you did." Yang smiled and gently put her hand on Blake's shoulder. "Because I would've hated having to learn about it from someone other than you."

Her ears drooped under her bow a bit. The fact that she was keeping another secret from her after hearing that, especially since Weiss knows, really hurt Blake. "Yeah."

Yang nodded and patted her shoulder a few times. "It's still pretty early in the day, so wanna do something?"

Blake shook her head and got up. Once she rolled her stocking back down and put her boot on, she sat on her own bed. "I think some rest would be better for me."

"You sure? I mean, it's pretty early still." When she saw Blake laying back on her bed, she smiled and nodded. "Got it. I'm gonna go see what Ruby and Weiss are up to, but don't be afraid to meet up with us later, kay."

"I'll be fine… But… Yeah, I'll let you know." Blake assured.

Yang gave her a thumbs up and left the dorm, but once she was out in the hall and the door was closed, she bit her lip and the red in her eyes were back. " _Calm down… Dad told you that losing your cool isn't gonna help anyone."_ She did her best to repeat the words, but the thought of some guy hurting Blake that much was too much for her.

Since telling herself to calm down wasn't working, Yang decided to try and find Ruby and Weiss.

* * *

"Ruby, stop being so whiny about this. You should be the first one who would enjoy learning about elementals." Weiss stated as they were both sat down in the library. "Now stop slouching in your chair and read."

"Ugh, but I know enough about them. They're kinda Grimm, but some weird science team messed up with dust crystals and they were altered to lose the bone armor." Ruby explained.

"Yes, but can you tell me why multiple versions of them appear?" Weiss quizzed.

The rose girl sat up in her chair and shrugged. "Nope, since not a lot of people really know where the Grimm come from either. Some people just think that they're bred after the first incident."

Weiss nodded. "Very good. You knew that was a trick question."

"Y-Yeah, so knew it was… Um, so… Does that mean we can stop studying and maybe go and talk to my mom about some of her blacksmithing stuff?" Ruby asked.

"Really, Ruby, you should start trying to work harder in this field. It isn't just running around and cutting Grimm down you know." Weiss stated.

Ruby gave her a quizzical look. "Uh… But isn't it?"

Weiss simply sighed in response and closed the book she was studying from. "You are so hopeless, Ruby Rose." Once she got up, her partner knew to follow and quickly gathered the books up.

"Aw, come on, Weiss. It's what we do. Cut down all the Grimm in our way so people are safe." Ruby said with a cheeky grin, while Weiss rolled her eyes.

"Understanding what we fight is very important too, you dolt." Weiss reminded as the two partners returned the books. "But obviously you don't feel the same way… So how would you like to waste the rest of the day?"

"You make it sound like it won't be fun." Ruby pouted.

Weiss shrugged. "I simply just enjoy a nice day of studying over what we normally do is all."

Ruby almost wanted to pounce on her partner to prove her wrong, but she held back. "Well maybe we can do something we both like. That sound like a compromise?"

"That sounds like the normal outcome of what two people should do, yes." Weiss snidely remarked, while Ruby groaned.

A thought went through her head though. "Wait, if that's the case, then why did we come here to study when I didn't wanna? Hmm?"

"Y-You need to study, there's a difference." Weiss tried defending.

Ruby flicked the back of Weiss' head, making her yelp as she gave the rose girl a glare. "I'm doing just fine in classes, thank you very much. Sooooo, you need to calm down, woman!"

Weiss facepalmed at her mocked tone. "You are such a hassle, I swear."

"A hassle that you are best friends with." Ruby grinned happily, while Weiss blushed a little.

"Oh be quiet…" Weiss huffed and the two left the library.

* * *

Yang was taking breaths the whole time she was walking away from the dorm, only thinking about Blake's scars. How they made Blake cry, and how much they must have hurt receiving them. "I can't do a damn thing about it either." She said to herself in a hushed tone.

Without noticing, the blonde brawler walked right passed her mother, who had been on her way back to the dorm room. "Walking passed me without even a hello?"

"Wha…" Yang turned around to see it was Raven who had said that. "Oh, uh, hey, mom. Sorry. I just have a lot on my mind right now."

"Hmm… Right, well… I'll leave you to it then." She wasn't the best at handling those kind of situations, sticking to mostly avoiding her daughter, rather than figure out ways to confront her.

Yang sighed. "Uh, yeah, okay."

When Raven watched her daughter turn around, she bit her lip and walked faster to her to catch up, grabbing her shoulder. "Look, I'm not exactly good at… This stuff. So, exactly what's even on your mind?"

Yang couldn't be surprised at how inexperienced her mother was at being, well, a mother, so she humored her. "A friend of mine is just having some trouble and I feel like I can't do anything to help them."

That made Raven think about Willow, though she didn't feel like Yang was. She felt sorry for the woman, but could only do so much. "Sometimes, when you're not able to help, you just need to accept that."

"What? But why? I can't just ignore when someone is hurting." Yang stated, shocked her mother would suggest that.

"Because maybe the people you're trying to help need to fight their own battles so they can grow, instead of relying on others so much." Raven explained. "And you said it yourself, you can't help this person, so why add unnecessary stress to yourself about it?"

Yang leaned up against a wall and kicked her foot against the floor, choosing not to look at her mom. "You became a huntress to help people, didn't you?"

Raven sighed. "I became a huntress to get stronger, Yang… This, the way Summer, the way you and your sister, and your friends come here for, is not the way I was."

"But… Why a huntress then? There are more ways-." Yang was cut off.

"Because this is the best place for it." Raven answered, not missing a beat. "I can't say I didn't… Enjoy the time I spent here, but I kept one thing with me, and that's my reasoning, my trigger."

"Your… Trigger?" Yang looked confused.

"It's what drove me to even learn from this school. To grow stronger so nothing out there could take me down." Raven admitted. "I go on hunts, but not for the people. And you shouldn't be so surprised by this, Yang," She noticed how her daughter looked. "If you really want to help your friend, then try to not treat them like they can't grow."

Yang wasn't liking the conversation anymore and pushed herself off of the wall, glaring at her mom. "This isn't about growing. I don't doubt how strong they are. I'm just sick of watching them push themselves away… Like how you did…"

Raven's heart skipped a beat when she said that, so she crossed her arms and glared back. "If you're comparing myself to your friend, you have no idea how wrong you are."

"This isn't about comparing, it's about… It's about being not letting it happen again!" Yang flared up, her eyes turning red, but not out of anger because of Raven. "When you barely showed up! When you kept giving me… such bullshit answers… It just made me so angry!"

She knew she'd have to face that side of Yang eventually. "Yes, and you have the right to be, but it's in the past, so-."

"This isn't about you." Yang said in a serious tone. "I've got a lot to say to you, mom, but this," She took a breath and her lilac eyes returned to her. "I'm making sure that this person doesn't end up being an idiot like you were."

"Watch your mouth…" Raven warned.

"Mom, I'm not about to argue with you." Yang stated, walking passed her, as she decided to head back to the dorm. "And what I said, I was calling you an idiot because I only want to see you more than you'd let me…"

Raven heard Yang leaving, her words sticking to her as she shook her head. "Sometimes I wonder if you take after me more than I let on." Somehow though, she knew Yang would be okay, and that she'd talk to her about, everything.

* * *

Glynda was alone in her office, contemplating what she and Raven had spoke about. She lifted herself off of her chair and walked over to the picture she kept on her wall. "She was… Confirmed to be K.I.A." She leaned her hand over, sighing as she shook her head and pulled her hand back. " _Nothing can change what happened. Lazuria is gone…"_

The blonde professor walked back to her chair and rubbed her eyes after removing her glasses. Once she put them back on, Glynda started to go through her class' records, preparing for a combat course to keep her mind occupied.

" _Team RWBY. Okay, so Summer Rose's child, Ruby Rose. Semblance, Speed. Hmm, shouldn't be too hard to find a suitable match for her. And her partner, Weiss Schnee. Willow's daughter… Wait, why… Her semblance isn't listed here."_

Glynda shook her head and sighed, typing up a fix for that. "Glyphs. Everyone knows that. Versatility is key, so I'll need to throw her off in some way."

" _Going to have to speak with Professor Ozpin about that. Okay, Blake Belladonna. Hmm, the Belladonna name. Daughter of Ghira Belladonna, the original White Fang leader. Semblance, Shadow. A tricky one, but not impossible to test against."_

The last name on the list was Yang's.

" _Yang Xiao Long. I know enough from my talks with Summer that Raven is her real mother. I'm glad she doesn't take after her too much now. Semblance, Double Damage Payback. Exploitable, but still dangerous to underestimate."_

The team was new, first years, but showed promise. They reminded Glynda of the team she was put on when she attended Beacon. Her thoughts though, were mostly on Lazuria, the person with a very unique semblance. "If only you were still here…"

* * *

 **Yang isn't afraid to speak her mind against her own mother, and even then, she only does it because she wants her in her life. It's something I like to show in this story, since again, fanfics are a fun place to write out how I'd enjoy seeing things go down. This being one of them between Yang and Raven.**

 **To JJ- A lot of connections are in play for this story, and a little tease, but even the resident cat Faunus may have a link to the overall plot of a certain wolf. As for what Blake actually deals with already, her past isn't going to define her future. It's something Yang will help her see.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 36. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 37.**


	37. Wolfy

**Here's chapter 37, everyone.**

* * *

Weiss was deep in thought while she and Ruby were heading back to their dorm room. " _Maybe I should try to spar with Ruby or Yang with my semblance. I've never tried having a partner during training with it."_

"So we get to our room, and… Think about what to do next?" Ruby suggested, thought more as a question, snapping Weiss out of her thoughts.

"Uh, well, actually I was just thinking. Would you like to maybe spar with me while I use my semblance?" The request caused Ruby to stop in her tracks as Weiss noticed the gleam in her eyes as she squealed.

"Yes!" Ruby cried out happily as she looked pumped up. "I was so waiting on you to ask me, cause, y'know, I didn't wanna bother you about it since I know it's a bit… Uh, hard for you to wanna use your semblance and stuff."

The white haired teen simply sighed in response. "It's not that exciting, Ruby. You've seen me use my semblance enough times already."

"Well yeah, but I haven't gone up against it yet." Ruby still had her excited grin on, raring to go. "Come on, let's get our weapons." She grabbed her partner's hand, but before she could drag her off, Weiss pulled back. "Huh? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, you dork, but I've been a bit tired of being dragged all over the place." Weiss got out of Ruby's grasp and crossed her arms so she couldn't grab her again. "We can walk normally for once."

"But Weiiiiisssss, I really, really wanna hurry and get to the training room before anyone else can hog it to themselves." Her whining only made Weiss roll her eyes.

"Oh stop whining." The white haired teen began to make her way to the training room, with Ruby running over to catch up. "If there are any students there, we can simply wait our turn."

Ruby grumbled a bit. "Ugh, fine."

Weiss sighed at how her partner was clearly impatient. "Ruby, come on. You shouldn't complain so much. You're a team leader."

"I, well, I mean… Yeah." Ruby frowned a little, feeling like she wasn't up to par, and Weiss noticed her reaction.

"Ruby, don't take that the wrong way." Weiss stopped and pulled her partner to the side to talk. "Look, I'll admit… I was… Jealous that you were made team leader." Ruby perked up in surprise. "It wasn't that I was shocked, more so… I wish I was the leader, but when I saw how happy you and Yang were, I was starting to feel a lot happier too."

"I-I didn't know you cared about being leader." Ruby admitted.

Weiss sighed with a shrug. "I suppose it's how I've always wanted to become a huntress that made me think it was a requirement to be. Like if I wasn't the leader, then I couldn't be as good of a huntress as I want to be."

"What? No way!" Ruby countered, startling Weiss a bit. "You're gonna be a great huntress when you graduate, Weiss. All four of us will, and it won't have anything to do with being the leader of a four year team or not."

"Ruby…" Weiss blushed a little.

"I'm serious, Weiss. The only thing I care about for being the leader, is to not fail you guys. I told you that, and I still mean it." Ruby said in an assuring tone.

"But-." Before she could even think of what else to say, Ruby beat her to it.

"Four years, Weiss." Ruby smiled brightly. "We're a TEAM, for four years, and even more than that if we wanna stay as a team."

Weiss blushed a little harder and looked away while playing with her white bangs a bit. "I… Wouldn't be opposed to that idea… That is if you wouldn't mind either."

Ruby grinned and threw her arm around her partner, making her yelp. "Duh! You're my partner, Weiss. That means we'll be the best duo ever!" She moved closer and accidentally brushed her cheek against Weiss', making both blush.

"O-Okay…" Weiss stuttered and when Ruby pulled away, she let out a small cough into her hand. "Um… Should we get to the training room?"

"Y-Yeah." Ruby had an equally blushed shade of red on her face as the two continued their walk, both not bringing up how their cheeks rubbed up on one another.

* * *

Summer was still with Willow in the teacher's lounge, rubbing her back to help her feel better about how she was going to have to confront Jacques on monday. "You got this, you know that, Willow." Her reassuring smile was helpful, but not enough to break the pressure Willow was feeling.

"I don't know if I… Know that, Summer. It's… It's Jacques." Willow reminded, and Summer shook her head.

"Yeah, and you're Willow. So that guy better be quaking in his boots." Summer said with a grin. "He's gonna regret crossing you."

That got a light chuckle out of the white haired woman. "You seem to have a lot of confidence in a woman who could barely form a glyph without getting exhausted."

Summer playfully rolled her eyes. "That jerk doesn't even have a semblance, so what can he do when you'll hold him up with just a single semblance? Hmm? At that point it's free reign on smacking him with your purse."

Another chuckle, though that one was a bit louder. "Didn't you say you would hold my purse for me?"

"Oh you know it, but only after you knock him upside the head with it." Summer continued to grin, happy that her friend was feeling at least a bit better. "And maybe a kick to the-."

"Summer!" Willow cut off, not wanting her to finish that sentence.

The blacksmith couldn't hold back her laughter. "You should see the look on your face, Willow!"

Willow blushed out of embarrassment. "Shut it, you dolt…" After a few moments of taking it in, Willow couldn't help but smile back at her friend. "Thank you…"

Summer nodded happily and hugged the white haired woman. "Always." She pulled away when she felt her scroll vibrate. "Huh, looks like my little rose and your snowflake are about to spar. You wanna go watch?"

"A sparring match?" Willow looked at the message on the scroll, seeing that it was from Ruby, and how Weiss would be using her semblance. "Oh dear… I hope they don't end up causing property damage."

With a chuckle, Summer took Willow's hand and got her to stand up. "I'm sure Jacques won't mind 'donating' some of his money to help fix anything they break."

"S-Summer, are you implying that I use his account to-." Summer simply winked before she could finish her sentence. "You are something else, Summer Rose." She let out a smile and the two women made their way to the training room.

* * *

"Should we wait till our moms are here?" Ruby asked as she and Weiss were loading up their weapons with some dust, both having agreed to not overdo it though. "Or should they walk in and see us being all awesome?"

The grin on Ruby's face made Weiss roll her eyes as she loaded an ice dust crystal in the chamber of Myrtenaster. "This is not going to be a show, you dolt. We're sparring to improve our combat abilities."

"Ugh, why do you have to make it sound so boring?" Ruby packed a few fire rounds in Crescent Rose, thinking ahead as she knew Weiss liked to use ice dust.

"Oh please, this is far from boring." Weiss smirked as she finished loading her weapon. "Now be patient for our mothers to get here."

Ruby stuck her tongue out at Weiss. "Bleh. You just don't want your mom walking in while you're losing."

"Me, lose to you? Please." Weiss' snide remark only pumped Ruby up even more.

"You are so on, Wolfy." Ruby grinned, while Weiss blushed at the nickname.

"E-Excuse me?" Already being called Ice Wolf by Yang would throw her off, but hearing Ruby calling her Wolfy was a different feeling. "You will not address me that way, Ruby Rose."

"Awww, but why not? I think it's really cute, and besides, you'll be fighting me as a wolf, sooooo, I figured it fit. And I didn't wanna steal Yang's nickname for you. I can call you that, right?" Ruby giggled as she finished loading her weapon as well.

Weiss looked away, but then down at her wolf pendant. It made her smile a bit, so she reached up and held it lightly. "You and your oaf of a sister are such a hassle, I swear."

"That wasn't a no." Ruby smirked.

"Ugh, shut it, and fine, but don't get used to calling me that all the time, or I promise to come up with the most embarrassing nickname for you, Ruby Rose." Weiss threatened.

Ruby got in a battle stance with Crescent Rose. "As long as it's not super embarrassing, it would be sooooo worth it."

Weiss raised an eyebrow. "Uh, I just told you we're waiting for our mothers to be here first, you impatient dolt. Staying like that the whole time isn't going to do you any good."

"Preparation, woman! And I… Kinda forgot about waiting." Ruby rubbed the back of her head as she nervously chuckled.

Weiss could only pinch the bridge of her nose with a sigh in response. "Again, a hassle. That is what you are."

Ruby used her semblance and sped up to where Weiss was, making her yelp and take a step back. "A hassle, yes, your best friend, also yes! And now I get to call you Wolfy!"

"Ugh," Weiss growled a bit. "I said don't get used to that."

"How about only when it's just us and our friends?" Ruby tried finding a middle ground.

"Seeing as you clearly won't let it go, fine, but only with them, and I suppose our families too, since they not know about my semblance anyways." Weiss agreed.

Ruby cheered while jumping for joy, earning a facepalm from her partner. "Yes!"

"You get excited over such trivial things, I swear." Even though it was a bit annoying at first, Weiss couldn't help but smile at her partner's excitement of a simple nickname.

"What can I say? I like being able to bond with my partner." Ruby innocently said, and Weiss rubbed her own arm a bit, keeping her smile as she looked to the side.

"Are you two going to be sparring or what?!" A voice called out to the pair, both looking over and seeing it was Summer who was yelling out to them. "Sorry to interrupt!" She waved to them, while Willow slapped the back of her head. "Ow!"

"Will you stop being… You for maybe five minutes? I swear, Summer, our children act more like adults than you do." Willow scolded.

Summer pouted and rubbed the spot on the back of her head Willow smacked. "Sorry for having fun at my age, Miss handbag."

Willow rolled her eyes and pulled her to the seats of the training room. "Shut up and sit down."

Weiss and Ruby blinked a few times before turning to each other with confused looks on their faces. "Um… Does that mean we start sparring now… Or no?"

"Uh, I think so?" Weiss shrugged and walked over to the side of the arena that the training room had. "Just get to your side and we'll start when we're both ready!" She called out to her partner.

Ruby nodded to her, getting on the opposite side of the square arena with Crescent Rose in scythe form. The arena wasn't the small sparring one that Glynda had students use. It was five times as large, since both wanted to be able to use dust with the proper space needed.

When Ruby reached the other side, Weiss closed her eyes and focused on her semblance, the light shining over her as she transformed into her wolf form, catching Myrtenaster with her teeth in its sharp edge form.

Her clothes were left on the floor and she didn't mind, but her eyes widened when she saw a red blur speed on by. When she turned to see what had happened, she found her clothes were left in a neat pile on one of the tables, while Ruby had made it back to the spot she was standing on before she used her semblance.

Summer simply giggled at that. "My little rose has been improving her semblance."

Willow nodded, but crossed her arms with a smirk. "Well my snowflake has done a lot more training with her wolf form, so don't think it'll be a one sided match."

Weiss jumped up on the arena, looking across it at her partner, her tail swaying out of the adrenaline she started to feel. Since she was holding Myrtenaster with her teeth though, she couldn't say anything, so Ruby spoke for her. "Ready, Wolfy!" Weiss playfully rolled her eyes and nodded.

"Wolfy?" Willow raised an eyebrow, while Summer shrugged with an excited look on her face, wanting to see what their respective daughters can do.

"Beats me, but it sounds kinda cute." Summer remarked, as both Ruby and Weiss got into their battle stances.

* * *

Yang stood at the door to the dorm room, knowing Blake was more than likely still asleep, but thinking about how her mother tried telling her to leave her be, she just couldn't and walked right in. She smiled a bit when she was greeted with the sight of her slumbering partner. "I guess she really did want some rest."

As she walked over to Blake's bed, she knelt down and reached her hand over, gently rubbing her head, since as a kid, Ruby would enjoy that herself whenever she was asleep.

It made the blonde chuckle when she noticed Blake fidgeted a bit in her sleep. "Not a fan I guess." She whispered to herself, not wanting to wake her partner. "Oh well. I'll find what she likes eventually." Yang said as she got up and laid down on Weiss' bed, keeping an eye on Blake for when she would wake.

" _I won't ignore you, Blake. I promise."_

* * *

 **More steps towards how those two truly feel about each other in this chapter. Which two? Well, I feel like that should be obvious, so I'll leave it at that. Next chapter however, well, sorry.**

 **To JJ- Blake and Yang are fun to write in this one, since y'know, actually seeing them talking face to face without anyone around again ever since V2 would be nice. As for her talk with Raven, again, something I wish we could see more of, but the finale for V5 was not bad in that regard with Yang and Raven talking. Glynda will find out, in what way, you'll see.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 37. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 38.**


	38. Change

**Here's chapter 38, everyone.**

* * *

Ruby and Weiss charged at each other, both partners showing the other they weren't going to hold back as dust was used almost instantly. Myrtenaster's sharp edged blade shined, ice being ready for use as the white wolf sliced at the ground, creating a wall of ice that acted as an obstacle for Ruby.

With a smirk, all that was heard was a sniper round. That was the shot that began to melt the ice in front of the white wolf, her eyes widened as she didn't think Ruby would have that idea. " _I suppose ice was an easy element to guess I'd use."_

Weiss' thoughts were left at that, since she heard the shout of her partner when she jumped at her with Crescent Rose in its scythe form, so the white wolf jumped back to miss the slicing attack.

Willow looked a little nervous. "D-Do you think they should be swinging their weapons like that? It's… I know they're huntresses in training, but…"

Summer patted her should to get her to calm down a bit. "Chill out, Willow. Look," She pointed at the large screen above the arena. It showed how much aura both girls had, and while Weiss wasn't at one hundred percent from using her 'semblance', she had enough to take on hits from Crescent Rose. "Just as long as they stay above the red, they'll be okay."

Even with that information in mind, Willow was still a little nervous about a giant scythe being swung at her daughter. "If they don't stop when one reaches red, I'll put a stop to it myself, you know."

"You don't have to tell me twice, Willow. I'm all for letting them train, but not when it gets to that point." Summer surprisingly said, while she noticed Willow's raised eyebrow. "Ugh, come on. I'm not a kid, Willow."

Willow couldn't hold back a chuckle. "Could have fooled me."

Summer crossed her arms and looked offended. "Ugh, let me prove it to you then."

"Relax, you dolt." Willow smiled. "You've proven that to me on multiple occasions." The sounds of Crescent Rose and Myrtenaster clashing brought the two women's attention back to the sparring match.

Ruby was locked in a struggle, as the blade of Crescent Rose was held back by Myrtenaster. "Wow… How are you able to push me back like this, Wolfy?" She grinned, but yelped when she heard her white wolf partner growl.

Weiss activated the lightning dust crystal in Myrtenaster, shocking Ruby on the spot and gaining the upper advantage by slashing at her. Ruby's aura kept her safe from harm, but about four percent of it was lost on the hit.

"Woo, nice hit." Ruby smirked as she still felt a little bit of the electricity. "My turn." She spun Crescent Rose around, sending different angled elemental slices at the wolf. Three being fire, and four being water.

The lashes of water hit the white wolf, making her aura drop about seven percent, while she was able to use wind dust to counter the fire. " _Those water slices… That could cut down most Grimm with the speed she used with her scythe. Good thing for aura."_ Weiss thought to herself.

"Hey, Wolfy!" Ruby called out, and Weiss' ears perked up at how she seemingly wanted to chat during a fight. "I'd use my semblance and so beat you this match, but I don't wanna use too much aura, so-."

She yelped when an ice spike was launched at her, seeing how annoyed the white wolf was. Weiss didn't want Ruby to go easy on her, so she growled and ran at her, Myrtenaster tightly gripped in her teeth.

Ruby could tell Weiss didn't like what she said, so she nodded to herself and used her semblance, zipping fast enough passed the white wolf to look like she disappeared. Weiss spun around to see Ruby was already aiming at her with Crescent Rose and had no time to use dust.

The shot rang out in the room, flying right at the white wolf. It was a gravity round, so when it hit her, Weiss began to float a bit, making her kick around. Ruby quickly looked over at the screen, seeing that Weiss' aura went down by another eight percent, but she was still barely in the green.

Knowing that she would be fine continuing, Ruby took another shot, but Weiss refused to let it hit her that time and slashed her sword horizontally, creating an ice wall that blocked the sniper round.

Ruby didn't bring too much dust ammo with her, so she needed to pick her shots well and watched as the gravity dust was keeping her partner afloat, slightly above the ground.

Willow leaned forward, still a bit worried for her daughter. "S-She's not able to get back to the ground."

"Well yeah, it's gravity dust." Summer reminded. "It'll wear off, but looks like snowflake is gonna have to figure out how to defend herself until it does."

Weiss growled a bit as she hated being in that predicament, but a thought formed in her mind and as Ruby took another shot, she quickly slashed at the ground with wind dust, sending her high up. Ruby gasped, watching as her partner was aiming to pounce at her from the top, so she attempted to jump back, but the white wolf quickly swung her sword two times, sending ice to Ruby's feet to keep her in place.

"Oh crap…" Ruby swore under her breath as Weiss slashed downwards when she got to Ruby, the hit taking about seven percent of Ruby's aura, but the white wolf continued her quick slashes at Ruby, not all of them as powerful as the first without the added momentum from dropping down, but they were enough to drop her aura down another ten percent.

Ruby refused to let it continue and quickly used fire dust, heating the blade of Crescent Rose up to melt the ice on her feet when she swung down, causing Weiss to jump back. " _We keep countering each other."_ Weiss noted to herself.

"Phew!" Ruby chuckled and got back into a defensive position. "Almost had me there, Wolfy!"

Willow had a smirk on, proud of her daughter, while Summer grinned and poked her side. "See, I told you not to worry, but don't think my little rose is out yet."

"I never said she was, you dolt. I am just admiring how my daughter has countered your daughter's tactics in such an easy manner." Her gloating was noted.

"Is that right?" Summer challenged. "Wanna take a bet on who'll win then, since you're so confident about it."

Willow rolled her eyes. "Please. Like I would ever place a bet on something like this. It's a simple sparring mat-." The sounds of dust going off, namely fire and lightning shut Willow up.

"You were saying?" The blacksmith's grin made Willow grumble a bit.

After the lightning dispersed, Weiss lost sight of Ruby, only for her to appear behind her because of her semblance. The white wolf spun around, trying to meet blades, but Ruby was too fast and slashed her back, scoring a good eight percent of aura loss on Weiss.

The white wolf started to feel something though. She shook her head and got back on her paws, but when she looked at Ruby, she started to breathe a little heavier and dropped her weapon. That threw Ruby off, but when she went to ask Weiss why she dropped Myrtenaster, she was instead met with a sprinting wolf.

Willow gasped when she saw her daughter running at Ruby without her weapon. "W-What is she doing?"

"Uh… I have no idea. I don't see any reason to drop her sword." Summer remarked.

Ruby spun her scythe around, creating a whirlpool that was sent right at the white wolf, but Weiss growled and quickly moved out of its path. The next moment though shocked everyone, as they saw Weiss' body slightly shine as it would when she used her semblance, only for her to grow a bit.

"W-Weiss?" Ruby was so stunned by the sudden growth in her partner's body that she couldn't defend herself when the white wolf pounced on her.

Summer and Willow both gasped and ran down from where they were sitting. Weiss was about a foot taller in her wolf form, snarling at Ruby as she pinned her down, her teeth close to Ruby's neck, but her eyes widened when she heard a shout. "Weiss!" It was her mother, and when the white wolf lifted her head up to see how frightened she looked, she realized what she was doing.

The white wolf was shaking and pushed herself off of Ruby, taking a few steps back as she stared at her partner. "R-Ruby?"

Ruby slowly sat up, looking at how much bigger Weiss got in her wolf form, but what really startled her was the look Weiss gave her when she was pinned down. It was the look she would get from something that was ready to kill her.

Willow quickly ran onto the arena and to her daughter, hugging her by her neck as soon as she reached her. "Snowflake, calm down… Just calm down." With how much she was shaking, she knew her daughter was afraid of what had just happened. "It's just your semblance… That's all. It's getting stronger… So don't be afraid, sweetie"

Weiss was still shaking, but not because she grew, but because she had pinned Ruby down and almost tried to bite into her, just like she had done to the Strom. "M-Mom…" She couldn't hold herself up anymore and fell on her belly, tears falling down her white fur.

Summer was knelt down by Ruby, making sure she was okay. "Ruby," When she didn't get an answer, she gently started shaking her daughter. "Ruby, are you okay?"

"H-Huh?" Ruby was snapped out of her thoughts, but seeing Weiss crying made her stand up. "I… I need to go to her."

"Willow is handling that, little rose. Look, you and her just… Got a bit too excited about the sparring, so just sit down and-." Summer was stopped when Ruby took a step forward.

"No." It was all Ruby could say as she walked to her partner, who at the moment was crying, while Willow was doing her best to rub her fur, wishing it would help calm her down.

It wasn't. "M-Mom, mom… I… I tried to-." She couldn't say anything else, feeling her mother wrapping her arms around her.

"Shhh, it's okay. You're okay." Willow could feel tears falling herself as she continued to comfort her daughter. "Weiss, sweetie, please calm down. Please."

Ruby got over to them, shaking a bit herself as she knelt down. "Weiss, it's me." She reached out and rubbed Weiss' back, hoping her partner would look up at her. "Please, Weiss, talk to me."

Hearing her partner beg, Weiss slowly lifted her head up, tears still running down her white fur. "S-Stay away from me…"

Ruby was taken aback, choosing not to pull her hand away, but she did stop rubbing her back. "W-Why would I do that? Weiss, I'm-."

"I tried to bite your neck!" Weiss yelled, startling both Ruby and Willow. Summer was as well surprised by that, not expecting Weiss to ever yell at them. "J-Just like with the Strom! Get away from me!"

Willow remembered the talk she and her daughter had about the Strom, so she quickly got on her knees and placed both hands on the sides of Weiss' face, looking her directly in her azure eyes. "Weiss, I told you before, that was not-."

"You said it was me protecting Ruby," Weiss whimpered. "But this, was the opposite…" She thought about how close she got to Ruby's neck and her tears hit the arena floor. "W-Why is this happening to me?"

Ruby couldn't stand not knowing why her partner was crying so much, so she got on her knees next to Willow. "Weiss, please don't tell me to get away." She was starting to feel the tears in her eyes as well. "I-I need to know what's hurting you."

Weiss was started to breathe heavily, the stress of what she had done getting to her, so Willow quickly got her on her paws and pressed her forehead against Weiss'. She began to whisper something inaudible to Ruby, and Weiss' breaths were beginning to slow down, not as frantic as they were.

The white wolf still cried, but when Willow finished whispering to her, all she could do was nuzzle her mother sadly. "My snowflake… Mommy's here… Mommy's here."

Ruby moved back from the mother and daughter, lifting her knees up as she wrapped her arms around them, sniffling to herself. She hated it. Hated how she couldn't help Weiss then and there, and after a moment, she felt her mother wrap her arms around her from behind. "I-I couldn't do anything to help her."

"Shh, it's okay, little rose." Summer gently soothed as kissed the top of her daughter's head. "She's going to be okay. I promise."

While Ruby knew Weiss would be okay, it still hurt to see her in so much pain. And it hurt her more when she realized she couldn't help her partner when she needed it most. "Weiss," She whispered to herself, but her mother could hear her, so she kissed the top of her head again.

Both Ruby and Weiss were in pain that day.

* * *

 **Sorry for the shorter chapter, but as usual, once I get the plot point of it done, then I don't want to extend it for no reason. Hope you guys understand. Also the size she becomes can be compared to one of a dire wolf, so if you'd like to see the difference, look up wolf compared to dire wolf on an image search.**

 **To JJ- Wolfy was just too good to pass up for me, so I had to, especially since she uses it throughout the story. Also I love writing Willow interacting with the other RWBY moms. With Yang, I honestly still haven't decided if I wanna go with romance or friendship with her and Blake. Both options work, since Yang won't give up on her. As for Glynda, well she didn't walk in on this fight, but we'll see how she figures it out soon enough.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 38. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 39.**


	39. It's Not Her Fault

**Here's chapter 39, everyone.**

* * *

After her disagreement with Yang, the raven haired huntress could only lean up against the statue outside of Beacon, arms crossed and head tilted up as she examined the school. "It really wasn't the same to me as to her. I don't see why she was so damn surprised." She shook her head, finding her ideals on strength to be sound.

" _It's not like I lied to her. She should know what happens to those who continue to rely on people too much. They grow soft."_

Raven sighed to herself and pushed off of the statue, but when she felt her scroll vibrate, she checked it to find a surprisingly alarmed message from Summer. "What? How… Lost control of her semblance?" She was confused, but since it was Summer begging her to come over, she chose not to stand around and question it too long.

The black haired huntress quickly made her way inside the school and bolted to the training hall.

Once she got there, she was welcomed by the sight of Willow crying softly while holding her daughter, who was still in her wolf form, while Raven herself had noticed she had gotten a bit bigger. It brought back memories of the woman she met back in Atlas.

" _No, there's… Similarities, but this is simply just the kid's semblance."_

Raven shook her head and ran over, seeing that Summer was also sat down with Ruby, speaking soft words of comfort to her. "What happened here?"

Summer lifted her head up, concern clearly showing on her face. "I couldn't fully explain it if I tried." She looked over at Willow and Weiss. "One moment the girls were sparring together, and the next, Weiss dropped her weapon and… Just grew a bit. Then she jumped on Ruby and…"

"She lost control of herself." Raven finished her sentence, glancing over at the white wolf, who continued to look distressed, but Willow kept her forehead pressed against her daughter's, not letting her go. "It's not that hard to understand. Some people do lose control of their semblances as they continue to evolve."

Ruby bit her lip and shook her head, looking up at Raven. "Weiss was able to hear her mom easily… She didn't lose control."

Raven continued to examine the white wolf, more questions entering her mind that simply started giving her a headache. "Whether it was for five minutes, or five seconds, she lost control of it. Nothing else to explain."

"It's not her fault..." Ruby sniffled a bit.

Weiss whimpered a bit as she pulled away from her mother. "I-I want to change back…"

Willow looked up, seeing her daughter's aura was at one percent, so she couldn't. "Sweetie, look at mommy." Weiss whimpered again, knowing that tone. "You can't right now because your aura is low." That made Weiss' heart speed up a bit. "But you're going to be okay, and when you rest up and restore your aura, you can change right back."

"I-I don't want to be like this… I don't." Weiss lowered her head, wishing she could change back there and then, but no matter what she did, there was no way to. "I don't want to use my s-semblance anymore…"

"Sweetie, no, you can't say that." Willow tried reaching out to her, but Weiss backed away. "Weiss, don't…" She was afraid her daughter would try to run off, but when the white wolf's ears drooped and she laid back down, Willow breathed a sigh of relief and scooted back over to hold her. "Let me take you back to your dorm, please."

The white wolf was shaking slightly, but she nodded and slowly got on her paws. She said nothing as Willow got to her feet and grabbed Myrtenaster for her, but when she looked over at Ruby, she instantly looked down.

There wasn't any way Ruby could have missed that, so she got out of her mother's grasp and stood up. "Weiss." She called out to her partner, getting no response, so she tried to walk over. "Why won't you look at me…"

"Because I almost hurt you…" Weiss' words were soft, and even then, Ruby still heard them. "Just… I need some space." She walked right passed her partner, Willow giving Ruby an apologetic look as she caught up with Weiss.

Summer got up and placed her hand on her daughter's shoulder after walking up to her. "I know it hurts you to see her so upset, but just give her some time, little rose."

Ruby nodded slowly, thinking about what Weiss said to her.

" _It wasn't because she grew… It was because she attacked me… But I would never blame her for that! It's not her fault!"_

A few tears fell down Ruby's face as she clenched her fists, wishing she could be there for her partner in the time she needs her most.

Raven noticed how Ruby reacted and sighed. "There's no sense in beating yourself up about this, Ruby." Her voice surprised the rose girl, making her turn to face her. "When she's calm, then you can talk to her, otherwise you're doing nobody good by sulking."

Summer wanted to speak up, but Ruby beat her to it. "You didn't see how she was. She was scared, and crying more than I've ever seen her cry."

"You heard what she asked of you. Give her some space." Raven repeated.

Ruby didn't want to argue about it, as she did want to respect her partner's wishes. Still, just the image of how Weiss looked when she backed away from her the first time, hurt Ruby. "I'm… I'm gonna go to the cafeteria." She ignored the calls of her mother, taking Crescent Rose with her.

Summer frowned as she watched her daughter go. "This isn't right… What just happened?"

"I barely just got here, so I wouldn't know myself." Raven added.

"Nothing was wrong, and… Suddenly that happened." Summer rubbed her arm, feeling bad for Ruby, Weiss and Willow. "First she has to deal with Jacques on monday, now this."

Raven sighed. "The fact that she's still not broken down at least shows she's strong enough to handle herself well enough." She said in reference to Willow, earning a look from Summer. "I'm not trying to downplay this, Summer."

"It's not that," Summer looked down at her feet for a moment before giving a saddened expression. "What if she does break eventually? What can we do?"

"I don't know." Raven answered honestly. "Look, let them have their time they need. You, focus on how you have a job here now. Okay?"

Summer knew Raven wasn't heartless, and her ways were more of a tough love kind of thing, but she still wished there was more to be done. "I'll try." She walked off on her own, leaving the Raven haired huntress in the training room.

All Raven could do was run her hand through her hair. "Left and right, more and more problems. I don't even know where to start." As she said that, she received another message from her scroll. "Ugh! Really… Right now?!" It was from Qrow.

* * *

Willow was getting her daughter back to her dorm, making sure anyone on the way would keep their mouths shut about a wolf walking through the halls, sending them death glares whenever they would glance at Weiss in shock or curiousity. "I-I can't change back…"

Weiss' words stung her heart. "Sweetie, we talked about this. You'll get some rest and change back after." Willow did her best to comfort her daughter, but she knew the best she was able to do at that point was get her to stop having a meltdown earlier.

As they reached the hall to the dorm, they were greeted by the sight of Pyrrha Nikos and Lie Ren, who both were surprised to see Weiss using her 'semblance' in school. "Weiss?" Pyrrha said as she and Ren walked over, but the white wolf said nothing when they reached them. "What's going on here? Why are you-." She stopped herself when she realized Willow was glaring.

"Leave my daughter alone." Willow's tone was a bit intimidating, but when she heard Weiss whimper, her attention was back on her.

"Mom, please… These are my friends." Weiss explained, not looking up still as her voice sounded somber.

Ren noticed that and spoke up. "Something happened, clearly. Is there a reason why you needed to use your semblance?"

Willow didn't like the questions being asked, but her daughter did assure they were her friends, so she answered. "Ruby… And I were sparring. Can we please leave it at that."

Pyrrha never really saw Weiss like that, so she did her best to nod. "Well, if that's what you want, but Weiss, are you okay? I know it's another question, but-."

Ren cut her off when he walked in front of Weiss. "I can try to help you calm down, Weiss." He hesitated for just a moment to think of what to say next. "That is, if you're okay with me helping."

Weiss looked up at the boy dressed in green, not sure how he could even help. "How would you…"

"My semblance." Ren spoke in a calm tone, seeing as he out of everyone in the group was the most calm. "Overall, it masks negative emotions."

"Masking negative emotions? I don't… I don't think that will help me one bit." Weiss' ears drooped as she lowered her head, not feeling like hiding her emotions would be the best course of action.

"It's more to it. It helps calm you down, and I don't know exactly what happened to you, or why you're upset, but I can at least help you stay calm." Ren said, causing the white wolf to sigh.

"O-Okay." Weiss closed her eyes and allowed the boy to use his semblance, getting Pyrrha to smile, while Willow looked a little nervous.

Pyrrha noticed that. "Don't worry. Ren is part of the team I'm on and I know his semblance will help her here."

Willow said nothing, but did feel a little less worried with Pyrrha's words. Ren took a breath and focused on his aura as he knelt down. He figured Weiss wouldn't want to be touched, so he placed his hand on the ground, as a line of his semblance seemed to reach the white wolf, making her look gray for a few moments.

Seeing that made Willow reach her hand out for just a moment, but when she saw Weiss was starting to have a steadier breathing pattern, she pulled her hand away and watched as the boy continued to use his semblance.

"W-Will she be okay?" Willow asked, hoping the boy's semblance really would help her daughter more so than just calming her down.

"Ren is able to help a person reach a certain point, but only Weiss can get herself to really feel better." Pyrrha explained.

After a couple of more moments, Ren lifted his hand away from the ground, and the white wolf opened her eyes. "That… That was… I don't know what to say."

"I'm sorry if it wasn't enough." Ren said, frowning a little.

Weiss blinked a few times, taking in what his semblance had done. "No, it… It helped. T-Thank you." She walked passed the boy, her mind a bit at ease. " _Ruby… I'm so sorry…"_

Even then, she still couldn't forgive herself for almost biting her partner's neck. Willow silently thanked the boy as she ran over to catch up to her daughter, the two getting to the dorm room as Pyrrha and Ren could only watch from afar.

Pyrrha heard her friend sigh, so she placed her hand on his shoulder. "You did what you could, Ren. Don't feel like you didn't help."

"It's not that." Ren replied. "With my semblance, I can feel what the other feels, and Weiss was in clear distress."

The scarlet haired huntress in training felt bad for her friend. "She mentioned that she and Ruby were sparring, so maybe we could ask her what happened."

"Maybe." Ren responded, but when he remembered what Weiss requested, he sighed again. "I'm not sure though to be fully honest. Her distress was higher than I normally can feel from people, and she wasn't fond about how many questions were asked."

"I… Suppose we should wait till they're ready to talk about it." Pyrrha said, earning a nod from the boy in green.

* * *

Yang was listening to music at the moment, still not wanting to wake her partner up, but not a moment later she saw the door to the dorm open. Willow was the first to enter, then her daughter, which surprised Yang since she didn't expect Weiss to be walking around using her semblance like that. "Ice Wolf? Willow? What's up? Everything okay?" She only asked because she noticed Weiss looking depressed.

Willow sighed and gave her a saddened expression, which was pleading her to wait till she helped her daughter. "Come on, sweetie. Lay down." She coaxed her daughter onto laying on her belly, and when she did, she sat next to her and sadly rubbed her back.

The blonde brawler was started to get worried, but after examining Weiss for a moment, she gasped. "W-Whoa, Weiss is, uh… She's a bit bigger as a wolf now."

Weiss whimpered at that, and Willow quickly looked to Yang, giving her a look. "Yang, not now."

"O-Oh." Yang frowned, feeling a little bad as she got off of her bed and sat next to Willow. "Um, can I… Uh, help?" Willow kept rubbing her daughter's back, nodding a bit as she knew Yang was one of the few people Weiss would let touch her fur. Hearing her whimpering a bit more broke Yang's heart, so she rubbed Weiss' fur a few times. "Ice wolf…"

Willow moved her hand away, taking a breath as she chose to let Yang know at least. "She's having a bit of… Trouble with her semblance. She needs her rest."

Yang nodded, choosing not to ask anymore questions. "I got it." She remembered times when Ruby was depressed, so she did what she would then. Yang leaned down and kissed the top of the white wolf's head. "I'm here, Weiss."

Weiss was thankful for that, but she couldn't get herself to speak, so she closed her eyes and hoped sleep would be granted for her that day.

* * *

 **Sorry for the sad, but this is a moment in her life that won't simply just go away. As for the use of Ren's semblance, I felt it fit, and it gave me more of a reason to involve him and hopefully the rest of his team later on.**

 **To JJ- A step forward in her true past, though it was a sad way to do it. Even so, she won't know for some time still, and with Ruby, I can at least say she'll do what she can to help Weiss through this. With Blake and Yang, it's a slow pace for sure, and even where I'm at in the story on my end of things (as in what I've written so far), I still haven't decided to have them as a romantic pairing. We'll see.**

 **To the guest on chapter 38- I get that. A platonic relationship for those two is what I want in the show, since they're more friends to me there than anything, but in this story it really falls on how it's written. I don't decide the pairings for this story until I write it out, letting the story tell itself and what interactions would prove to end up as a romantic pairing or not.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 39. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 40.**


	40. Forgiving

**Here's chapter 40, everyone.**

* * *

Blake slowly opened her eyes, the sound of people talking was what woke her up as she sat up and looked over at the source of the voices, surprised to see Yang comforting Weiss, though the surprise was her in her wolf form. That and Willow Schnee being present in the room. "What's going on?"

Yang was a little startled by her partner's question, not thinking she'd be awake. "Oh, Blake, uh, look now isn't the best time for questions. Go on back to sleep, we'll try to be a little quieter."

The cat Faunus was taken aback, watching closely at how the white wolf was reacting to the comforting rubs Yang was giving her. "I'm not tired anymore, and what do you mean not to question anything? Weiss is-."

Willow cut her off. "Please. I know you barely know me," That wasn't true, but Willow didn't know that. "But right now my daughter is in pain and she needs her rest."

How hurt her voice was, and the way she pleaded, Blake was in a mix of unknown reactions she should have. "O-Okay." She couldn't say much else.

" _Weiss…"_

Her eyes widened when she realized she started feeling bad for the white wolf, a feeling she didn't think she'd ever have for a Schnee. " _She's hurting."_ Blake got out of bed and knelt down by Yang.

The blonde brawler was surprised when she saw Blake looking a little sad. But she was even more surprised by the fact she was looking sad for Weiss. "You… Wanna try to rub her fur a bit? It helps her feel better."

Blake shook her head as she whispered. "The fact that I was the one to slap her before… I can't just do that." Luckily only Yang could hear her whispered voice.

"She's asleep, Blake." Yang gave her an assuring smile as she pulled her hand away. "Please, try."

Try. It was that word that even pushed Blake slightly, so she sighed and reached her hand out to where Yang's was. A Schnee. Right under her hand, but because of Yang, she was able to place her hand on Weiss' back, holding it there for a moment.

"Soft, huh?" Yang joked softly, trying to make light of the situation.

Blake simply nodded, moving her hand a bit as she was still a little shaken up by being in contact with a Schnee. " _She's not… Like him."_ Blake thought to herself.

Weiss slightly moved in her sleep, startling Blake a bit, but Yang helped her keep still by gently grabbing her arm. "Don't get all jumpy. I promise this is helping her."

"Helping her…" Blake couldn't imagine herself ever wanting to help a Schnee in the past, but it wasn't the past. She nodded to Yang and rubbed Weiss' back, wondering what could have happened to the white wolf that she needed this much comforting. "Do you at least know what happened?"

Yang shook her head and Willow spoke up. "She's asleep now, so I can talk about it." She was sat on her daughter's bed, hands folded on her lap as she sadly recounted what happened in her head. "She and Ruby were sparring together, both wanting to use their semblances. I was… Nervous to say the least." She sighed. "Even so, it was going well."

They saw the shift in her face.

Willow bit her lip and shook her head. "Weiss had dropped her sword and her… Semblance had gotten a little stronger, making her grow a bit bigger in her wolf form."

Blake hadn't actually taken that in yet. Weiss was indeed a bit bigger from the last time she saw her wolf form.

"Because of that, it was hard for her to… Be in control of herself." Willow unfolded her hands and dug her nails into the bedsheets, almost crying at how her daughter reacted after. "She's scared…"

"Shit." Yang cursed under her breath, looking down at her friend.

Blake continued feeling bad for the white wolf, stopping her rubs when she heard that Weiss was scared. "I'm sorry." She whispered to herself, while Yang heard that, she didn't comment on it.

Willow got up from her daughter's bed and knelt down by them. "I have to go back to Atlas on monday, so… Please do what you can for my snowflake." A stray tear escaped. "Please."

Yang leaned over and hugged the older woman, nodding to her. "You know you don't have to ask me to. I swear I'll get our ice wolf back on her feet."

Without saying a word, Willow hugged the blonde girl in return, while Blake had to take in what was happening even more so. A moment passed, and the cat Faunus leaned her other hand over, placing it on Willow's arm, the second Schnee she made contact with, and the older woman turned her attention to Blake.

"Yang is right. And… I may not have known Weiss for long, but I'll help too." Blake promised, surprising both Yang, and herself.

Willow let out a small smile, while gently responding. "Thank you."

Blake nodded, not feeling foreign to the feeling of getting the thank you from a Schnee, so she went back to rubbing Weiss' back. " _Adam… Hurt me this much, maybe… Maybe what he's said about the Schnee family really was exaggerated."_

* * *

Ruby was sighing to herself, walking through the halls with Crescent Rose firmly on her back holster. " _What can I even do?"_ She bit her lip, hating how she had to ask herself that. "It wasn't her fault." She muttered to herself.

As she rounded a corner, she bumped right into someone, who groaned in response. "Miss Rose, this is why you shouldn't look directly down at your feet while walking." The voice was Glynda's and Ruby honestly wasn't that concerned about it.

"Oh. Sorry, Ms. Goodwitch." Her voice wasn't filled with her normal cheer, and Glynda raised an eyebrow at that.

"Yes, well, make sure to look straight ahead of yourself." The blonde professor pushed her glasses up a bit, taking note of the small nod she got from Ruby.

"I will." Ruby responded and continued walking, not wanting to get in a conversation at that point.

"Miss Rose," Glynda called out and Ruby looked over her shoulder. "Is there something wrong? You seem to be a little-."

Ruby shook her head, cutting her off. "I'm fine, Ms. Goodwitch. Just a little tired is all."

Glynda wasn't all too worried about her student's personal lives, since that's what it was. Their personal lives. "Very well. I would recommend you get some rest then." With that, she turned around and walked off from Ruby.

"Yeah…" Ruby said to herself, but she didn't know if she could get any rest, thinking about how Weiss wanted space and was more than likely in the dorm. " _She didn't want me to go near her."_

"Ruby!" Summer called out to her daughter, since she was trying to catch up to her the whole time, and when the younger Rose stopped, she was met with a hug. "Ruby, why did you just walk off like that?"

"You know why, mom." Ruby said in a monotone voice.

"Weiss is going to be okay, little rose." Summer assured. "Don't you think other people have went through this too?" Ruby lifted her head up, wanting to hear more about that, since it meant that if others went through it, they most likely got help for it. "You didn't, but I can tell you that yes, people have had problems controlling their semblances."

Ruby sighed. "How long does it take someone to control their semblance again?"

"It depends on the person, but you know that little snowflake is strong." Summer said, kissing the top of Ruby's head. "I bet she's getting some rest right now, so come on. Her partner should be there when she wakes up."

"B-But she told me not to get near her." Ruby said in a saddened tone.

"Little rose, you know she's just scared. The way things happened, you can't blame her, and I know you don't." She let go of her daughter. "But when a friend, or a loved one is hurting, and they say to stay away, you need to look deeper and think what you really need to do here."

Ruby looked down, thinking about Weiss. "I… I think I do want to be there when she wakes up. I wanna hold her and tell her that what happened wasn't her fault." She looked up at her mom with determination. "And I wanna tell her that I'll help her with her semblance!"

Summer let out a supporting smile. "There's my little rose." She patted her shoulder a few times. "Let's get you to your partner, sweetie."

"Right." Ruby hoped her partner wouldn't be upset with her wanting to help, but she knew one thing at least. "Mom, I wanna try to learn more about her semblance. Do you think there's anyone out there who might have the same kind of semblance?"

"Hmm, it's possible. I can't remember off the top of my head, but I'll make sure to ask around for you, sweetie." Summer said, knowing full well she wanted the knowledge of Weiss' 'semblance' to help her.

"Thank you, mom." Ruby said, hoping her mother would soon find anyone out in the world of Remnant like that.

* * *

Blake could hear the quiet snores coming from the white wolf, making her actually smile a little as she continued rubbing her fur. "I've never really got to ask before, but with her semblance, does she have increased senses?"

Willow wasn't too surprised by the question, so she nodded. "A wolf's senses are her own when she uses her semblance."

The woman had few words to say, due to her daughter's condition worrying her too much. "What was it like… Discovering her semblance wasn't the same as the others in your family?"

Yang was about to try and get Blake to stop asking questions, but Willow spoke up before she could say anything. "It was unexpected, but even so, I'm so proud of her for whatever semblance she would have."

Blake sighed a bit, even more about the Schnee family was starting to come to light for her. "I'm sorry if I'm asking a lot of questions."

"It's okay." Willow assured, leaning down to kiss her daughter on the head, the white wolf moving a bit in her sleep. "You want to know more about my little snowflake, and I'm happy to hear that, so if you have more questions, feel free to ask them."

"Well… I had one." Blake stopped rubbing Weiss' fur and turned on her knees to face Willow. "Yesterday when we first spoke… I was nervous to speak to you because," Yang knew Blake was going to tell her. "Because you're a Schnee."

Willow was taken aback, though only for a moment as a sad smile appeared on her face. "Not the shy one after all I see." She sighed a bit, nodding to Blake. "I understand why."

Blake felt guilty, but her feelings were her own, and she couldn't hide them forever. "A lot I've been told over the years made me feel… Uneasy about your last name, but seeing you and your daughter, how you both are… I feel like I may have been fed lies."

Yang decided to position herself closer to Weiss, and away from the two to let them speak, while taking over on comforting the sleeping white wolf.

"Honestly," Willow held a hand over the other. "I wouldn't say they're all lie. My children are not like their father," While she knew Whitley was on that same path, she would still do what she could to keep him from becoming his father. "I can't speak for myself, but-."

Yang spoke up after hearing that. "Hey, come on. You're like, a really awesome mom, Willow."

Willow let out a light chuckle. "I only want what's best for my children… So, if there is anything to say here, Blake." She showed she wouldn't forget the girl's name. "It's that the Schnee name is tainted because of my husband, and I apologize for the pain he may have brought you or anyone you know."

Blake lowered her head, her eyes not visible to Willow as she spoke one word. "No."

"Hmm?" Willow seemed a bit confused by her response.

"I don't want you to apologize for another person's faults." Blake said, remembering what Weiss said to her that day, while lifting her head up to look Willow directly in her eyes. "Your daughter didn't have to apologize, so you shouldn't either."

Willow felt happy hearing that from the girl she met one day ago. "You're very forgiving, Blake."

"There's nothing to forgive." Blake clenched her fists. "I was fed lies for a long time, and I believed them."

The white haired woman scooted over. "And just like you choose to not blame me and my children for their father's faults, I won't blame you for being lied to."

Blake's heart was racing, her opinions of the Schnee name changing completely, though she still kept the hatred in her for Jacques Schnee. "I-I'm…"

"Shh." Willow spoke. "Blake, at this point, the only thing I know about you is your on my daughter's team." She reached her hand over and took Blake's, the contact not making the cat Faunus jump again. "Still, even without knowing a lot, I can tell you're a very smart and talented young woman. Don't be afraid to speak your mind though, okay?" She gave her a smile, trying her best

The words were comforting, soft and felt true to Blake, so she nodded with a smile of her own. "Right. Thank you."

"For what?" Willow asked as she let go of Blake's hand.

"You and your daughter helped me see there's more to your name than the lies I've been told." Blake explained, looking over at Weiss. "I… Also need to be honest. Weiss and I were not… On great terms with each other."

"With what you've told me, I can't say I'm surprised, but… Does this mean you'll try and understand who my snowflake really is?" Willow inquired.

Blake nodded, sighing a bit as her ears flattened against her head under her bow. "I'd like to try… But… We did get into an argument."

That got Willow's attention even more so. "What kind of argument?"

"It was about your family name." Blake said, the guilt in her voice showing. "I said some things, and she only wanted to talk to me about it, but… When she touched my shoulder… I… I slapped her by accident."

Willow's expression changed that moment. Yang could see it too, the shock on her face, and the look of anger that had washed over a moment later, but the woman didn't use that anger. She simply took a deep breath. "You say it was an accident?" Blake nodded, nervous about how Willow would react. "Then… I can't stay angry with you… But I will say this," She held her hand out, a glyph appearing over it. "My children mean everything to me, Blake… I don't want to hear this happened again in the future."

Blake looked down, feeling terrible for what she did, but in truth, it really was an accident. "I understand, and I'm really sorry."

Willow sighed and the glyph disappeared. "I will forgive you this one time, but only because I still keep my words true. You're a smart and talented young woman, so don't make me regret believing that."

The sternness in her voice told Blake all she needed to know. Willow Schnee was nothing like the White Fang made her out to be, and she'd make sure to get to know Weiss Schnee as well.

"Hmm…" Weiss' voice got everyone's attention, as Yang pulled her hand away, watching the white wolf lifting her head up to look around. "M-Mom?"

Willow instantly got to her daughter's side and rubbed her cheek. "I'm right here, snowflake."

The white wolf noticed she hadn't slept all that much, so her aura couldn't have recharged enough to change back. "I need to get up." She spoke softly, and her mother was against it at first. "Please, mom."

"You should rest, sweetie." Willow said, wanting her daughter to not stress herself out anymore.

Weiss whimpered a bit. "I-I just don't want to sit around like this."

"I know, snowflake, but the more you rest, the faster your aura will recharge." Willow reminded, rubbing her daughter's back a few times.

"Yeah, ice wolf." Yang encouraged from the side. "Just take it easy for a bit, and you'll be able to use your semblance again in no time. Kay?"

The white wolf sniffled and nodded, but when she looked over at her pile of clothes, she raised her head up and got on her paws, earning worried looks from both her mom and Yang. "I-I just want my pendant…"

Willow got to her feet. "I'll get it for you, sweetie." She walked over, picking up the necklace she got Weiss for her eighth birthday.

"C-Can you wrap it around my neck?" Weiss requested, remembering how Ruby would do that for you.

"Oh, I never knew you wanted it tied around when you used your semblance." Willow remarked as she was still trying to adjust to Weiss' new size in her wolf form. "Why didn't you ever tell me?" She asked, wrapping the necklace around her daughter's neck.

Weiss felt a bit happier with the pendant around her neck, so she leaned over and nuzzled her mother. "Ruby was the one who thought about the idea during initiation."

Willow sighed in relief when her daughter nuzzled her, since it meant she wasn't as depressed. "Well I'm a little jealous I wasn't the one to come up with this idea." She rubbed her daughter's cheek again. "It looks beautiful on you, sweetie."

"Thank you, mom." Weiss let out a real smile again, nuzzling her mother once more as Blake stepped over.

"Weiss." The white wolf turned to face her teammate, surprised a bit that she'd call out to her. "I think we need to talk."

* * *

 **Not much to say here, though I do have at least one question I hope some of you can answer. At the moment of where I'm at, has the pacing of the story felt okay? I'd really like to know so I can make improvements if need be. Meaning does it feel too slow, or do things feel like they get resolved too quickly? Feedback on that would be very much appreciated.**

 **To JJ- I do my best at trying to convey the feelings of characters, and yeah, it really isn't her fault, seeing as she doesn't even know her true past. As for Qrow, well you'll see. And with Blake and Yang, it's a coin flip for sure, even on my end. As I do love to build up to a relationship, so if it goes that way, then hey, at least it was built up.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 40. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 41.**


	41. She Trusts You

**Here's chapter 41, everyone.**

* * *

"Talk about what?" Weiss' ears flattened against her head, a bit nervous about Blake's words.

Blake sighed. "I told your mother everything, so you don't have to hide what we talked about." She said, watching Weiss' ears perk up a bit. "Honestly, I want to start by saying I'm sorry, Weiss."

"Y-You're sorry?" Weiss was more asking out of shock.

"Yes. Just assuming you and your mother were as bad as your father, only because of your name, was wrong." Blake admitted. "I still hate what your family's company does, but I won't hold it against you and your mom."

"And my sister and brother…" Weiss added.

Blake nodded. "Them too. And… I really am sorry for slapping you that day."

"It was an accident, so," Weiss sighed. "I forgive you for that, and if I'm being honest too, Blake. I don't want this." Her words slightly confused Blake. "I mean I don't want us to have to explain anything to each other."

"Some things aren't as easy to understand though." Blake sadly remarked, while rubbing her arm. "But I do get it. I'd like to try a bit more."

"You don't have to force yourself to." Weiss walked towards Blake, the cat Faunus unsure of how to feel as the white wolf who was now up to her shoulders smiled at her. "I would though, enjoy us trying not to avoid each other anymore."

Blake felt bad for that one, but seeing the white wolf smile, it brought a similar effect that Yang had on her. "Yeah… I'd like that too." She let out her own smile.

Even with how they were, Weiss did something on purely instinct and leaned her head close to Blake, nuzzling her a bit. The cat Faunus was taken aback, almost backing away, but she felt Yang hold her shoulder from behind as she whispered. "She trusts you."

As a Faunus, she still wasn't fond of the idea of people treating her race like they were animals, but what was happening now wasn't that. It was how much she trusted them that allowed them to rub her fur, or her nuzzling them. "Weiss."

The white wolf kept nuzzling Blake, not wanting to answer her, so the cat Faunus smiled and slowly wrapped her arms around her. "Thank you, Blake."

It wasn't a thank you for the hug, but one for setting aside past differences to finally get to know her for who she was. "You don't have to thank me, Weiss. Not one bit."

Weiss' tail swayed a few times, and Yang was relieved the two were going to be okay. "There's a lot we still need to talk about," Weiss said, enjoying the embrace as she spoke. "Is there anything you'd like to ask me?"

"No, at least not now." Blake rubbed Weiss' fur a bit, happy that she was able to break out of the shell she had set up for herself, and she knew she would have to thank Yang for that.

Willow was able to take a seat on Weiss' bed, her daughter was finally back to feeling happy. " _She has a team that will be there for her while I'm away… At least now I can go back to Atlas without being too worried."_

Yang chuckled a bit and stretched. "Glad you're feeling a bit better now, ice wolf."

Blake pulled away from the embrace. "I still want to change back." Weiss sighed, but she wasn't trying to bring the mood down. "I guess I'll just have to be patient."

"Hey, it'll be okay. A good rest will do ya good." Yang encouraged with a grin.

Weiss nodded, walking over to the middle of the dorm to lay down, but before she could, the door opened and Ruby walked right in. "Weiss." The white wolf froze, hearing Ruby's voice was a trigger for her, since she still didn't want to get near her.

The white wolf slowly turned around, seeing her partner standing six feet in front of her. "R-Ruby? What are you doing here? I told you not to-."

Since she was bigger now, Ruby didn't need to kneel down to hug the wolf. "Don't push me away at a time like this… Don't push me away at all, Weiss." She spoke softly, the others in the room looking back and forth at each other.

Willow was the first to make a move, motioning for Yang and Blake to let them have their privacy. "We'll be outside." She walked with the two out of the dorm, Weiss silently wishing they hadn't.

"Ruby, please…" Weiss whimpered.

"You shouldn't have to be alone for this, and I spoke with my mom about what happened." Ruby rubbed her fur a bit. "She told me lots of people have trouble controlling their semblance sometimes."

Weiss lowered her head in Ruby's embrace. "It was more than being unable to control my semblance, I… I almost bit your neck, Ruby. I could've… I could've-."

"Stop." Ruby cut her off. "Don't finish that sentence." She pulled away, looking directly into the azure eyes of her friend. "What happened wasn't your fault, and you were able to stop yourself, Weiss. That shows you're strong!"

The white wolf blushed a bit from the praise, but she shook her head. "It was only because my mother called out to me to stop."

"Weiss, if you just think that, then you're the dolt here." The rose girl gave her partner a smile, and the white wolf looked surprised.

"E-Excuse me?" Weiss responded, earning a giggle from her partner, who decided to do something that she saw Willow do.

Ruby leaned in and pressed her forehead against Weiss', making the white wolf gasp as she never had anyone besides her mother do that for her. The whisper of Ruby's voice began. "You're not losing control, Weiss. Even then, you were still you, and you'll never be anyone else."

The white wolf began to whimper again, Ruby's words getting to her much easier. "Ruby… What if… What if it happens again?"

"Then you'll snap right out of it like last time." Ruby reminded, still lightly whispering. "But, if you're scared, then let me say this," Weiss waited for her partner to continue. "I'm going to be there, by your side, every moment, and no matter what happens, you can count on me to bring you back. Always."

Weiss' eyes widened, the silver in Ruby's eyes showing her determination and loyalty to her words. "I'm… Still scared." She said honestly, but she didn't avoid Ruby, she moved closer to her, whimpering as she nuzzled her partner with tears in her eyes. "I don't want to hurt you… Any of you."

"You won't." Ruby assured, hugging her partner as she smiled at the nuzzling. "And you just heard why, because I'll be there to bring you back, and so will Blake and Yang."

The team, not just Ruby. It was what Weiss needed to hear, so she closed her eyes and chose that she shouldn't be trying to deny that. "You're a dork sometimes, you know that, right?" She smiled, continuing to nuzzle her partner.

"Yeah, but we're both dorks, so we're perfect for each other." Ruby closed her eyes and rubbed her cheek on Weiss.

Weiss didn't blush that time, or even moved away. All she did was accept the way Ruby was comforting her. "I still need to rest so my aura can recharge."

"Right!" Ruby pulled away and sat on the floor, watching as Weiss laid on her belly again. "I don't think you'll have to wait too long, since remember during initiation you had to rest up and it was like, what, not even an hour?"

"I can't remember, but… That does help to think about, Ruby. Thank you." Her tail swayed a bit and she rested her head on the ground. "Is, Is your mom… Um, is she-."

"She's waiting out in the hall. And if you meant to ask if she's upset about what happened, no, she isn't." Ruby assured. "Well, not upset with you. Just upset that you were in pain." She frowned, leaning over to gently rest her head on Weiss. "I-Is this okay?"

Weiss couldn't help but chuckle to herself. "It is, though shouldn't you let your mother know that she can come in now?"

"Oh, right." Ruby sat up and got her scroll out.

"Ruby, you can just go out into the hall to get her." Weiss said, finding it odd that the girl would even consider texting someone who isn't that far away.

"Ugh, but I'm lazy!" Ruby whined, sending the message anyway, and leaning back on her partner to rest against her.

Weiss playfully rolled her eyes. "Such a dolt." She looked over once Summer opened the door, only she entered though, since the others figured that she'd want a moment to talk with the girls.

"Hey, snowflake." Summer gave her a smile as she sat next to both her daughter and Weiss. "How ya feeling?" Her soft voice was as motherly as Willow's would be.

"Better." Weiss sighed fidgeted around a bit. "I-I'm sorry for how I reacted, Mrs. Rose."

Summer shook her head. "Don't apologize, snowflake, and I swear, I'll get you to call me Summer one day." That got another playful eye roll from the white wolf. "Still, I'm glad you're feeling better."

Seeing her daughter resting up against the white wolf was took cute of a sight, but Summer knew if she got her scroll out to try and take a picture of them, she'd have both her daughter and the white wolf jumping at her to not take it.

"Thank you." Weiss smiled, her tail swaying showing that she was telling the truth about feeling better. "Ruby… Ruby told me about how other people out in the world have similar problems with their semblances. Is that true?"

"Absolutely. Semblances are very complex, even to this day, snowflake." Summer stated. "Not everyone in the world will have the same reaction to their semblance's ever growing power."

"D-Does that mean this was just a simple reaction?" Weiss hoped.

Summer couldn't give the girl false hope, since if it did in fact happen again, she'd feel terrible about it. "Honestly, it feels like it leans heavily towards that, yeah. I can't say your semblance will stop growing though…"

Weiss' ears dropped a bit. "So… It may happen again."

"Hey, don't get too worried about that, snowflake. You snapped out of it in like, five seconds when it happened." Summer reminded.

"I-I know. Ruby and I spoke about what we can do about it if it happens again, but…" She sighed a bit. "For it to happen again, is terrifying." Summer frowned and reached out to the wolf, but pulled away as she didn't feel like she earned that right. Weiss picked up on that and let out a small smile. "Mrs. Rose, I'll say it outright, I hate being compared to a dog, but with the people I trust, I don't mind the rubs."

The blacksmith found that to be cute and gave her back a short rub. "I bet everyone says your fur is soft, snowflake."

Weiss nodded a bit, smiling as she had another person in her life she could trust that much. "Honestly, some people might think it's weird, and I don't blame them, but when you… Ruby, Yang, mom, Winter, Klein, and even Blake now… When you all rub my fur, I don't think of it as treating me like I'm some kind of animal."

Ruby snuggled up on her partner, listening to her words as she smiled. "And none of us will ever do that to you."

"I know, you dolt. It's why I trust you all so much in the first place." Weiss explained, but before the Roses could speak, she continued. "Can you let the others back in? I don't want them feeling like they have to be outside."

Summer nodded and got up. "Got it, snowflake."

She went to get the others, while Ruby sat up and blushed a bit, confusing Weiss. "What's with the face, Ruby?"

"I-I was just… Wondering… If maybe you and I could have a partner day?" Ruby squeaked, looking away from Weiss, as she was way too nervous.

"A partner day?" The thought made her tail wag faster.

"Y-Yeah, just the two of us." Ruby slowly turned back to face her, noticing her tail. "W-Wait, you like the idea?"

Weiss nodded, sitting up with Ruby. "It sounds like something we could both use. A day without anyone else." She smiled and leaned over, nuzzling Ruby. "What day would you like that to be?"

"O-Oh." Ruby blushed and rubbed her fur a bit. "Maybe… Uh, when our moms leave on monday? Does that sound okay?"

The white wolf found her partner's nervous tone cute, so she nodded again. "Yes, but Ruby, you don't have to sound so nervous about it. We're just having a partner day as you said."

Ruby was actually using that as a cover to spend a day with Weiss, more as a date, but she'd didn't want to admit that to her partner. "Right, um, so monday it is."

"Sounds like a plan." Weiss turned her attention to the door when Summer, Willow, Blake and Yang walked back in, so she walked over to her mother. "Mom."

Willow was so happy to see her daughter like that again. "Snowflake, I was speaking with your team and Yang here suggested we go outside for some rest. Would you like to?"

The white wolf's tail swayed happily, so she nodded. "I would like that very much, yes. Being cramped in here isn't all that's cracked up to be."

Ruby got to her feet, glad that her embarrassment of asking Weiss out on a not date, but date to her was over. "Back to our favorite spot?"

"Of course." Weiss replied, her tail swaying the entire way there.

* * *

 **There you go, Blake. Now she and Weiss can finally trust each other. It only took… 41 chapters. Huh. I like slow burn.**

 **To JJ- It took time, but yeah, Blake gets it now. And she's going to continue to grow as a person to really bond with her team. For now, I'm just glad to finally resolve her and Weiss' issues.**

 **To GoldElite245- Thanks for the feedback. With how things go, I try slow burn more than anything, so what parts did you feel were a little rushed? If you don't mind me asking.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 41. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 42.**


	42. Sized Down

**Here's chapter 42, everyone.**

* * *

Weiss sighed since she was still in her wolf form, but she didn't want to complain anymore. "How come your mom is over there still, Ruby?" The white wolf asked as she, the rest of her team and her mother were sat under the tree.

"She wants to speak with aunt Raven." Ruby answered, her tone seeming off since she was still against how she told her to avoid going to Weiss.

Yang grumbled in response. "I don't see why she would waste her time on trying to talk to mom."

Willow raised an eyebrow in response. "What is making you say that, Yang?" The blonde brawler shrugged, not wanting to talk about it. "Listen, Yang, I've dealt with your mother enough times to know that reaction. What did she say to you?"

Blake was a bit concerned herself, so Yang sighed. "The advice she gives isn't how I like to handle certain things. So I guess we just see things differently is all."

"I won't pester you on it too much, but I do understand where you're getting at." Willow said. "Still, your mother may sound harsh at times, but I do respect her for standing by her ideals and beliefs."

"Eh, I guess." Yang laid back and looked up at the blue sky.

Blake still wondered what Yang and her mother would have talked about to get her like that, but she wouldn't bring it up then and there, while Ruby poked Weiss' nose. "Poke."

The white wolf playfully rolled her eyes at that, Ruby's giggles warming her heart. "Dolt."

"Wolfy." Ruby's grinned.

Yang raised an eyebrow, sitting back up when she heard what Ruby called the white wolf. "Wolfy? Really, sis? Couldn't come up with something better?"

Ruby pouted in response. "I just didn't wanna steal your nickname for her, and I'll have you know that Weiss likes it!"

"I'll also have you know that I specifically told you to not get used to calling me that, or I will come up with something embarrassing to call you, Ruby Rose." Weiss reminded.

Yang snickered at that. "Oh trust me, ice wolf, Ruby here is soooo gonna get used to calling you that, so I'd say you should be the one getting used to it."

Weiss groaned in response, but Ruby spoke up before her. "I won't say it as much, Weiss. I promise." Her voice was softer, trying to assure her partner she wouldn't abuse the nickname. "If it really does bother you that much."

"Ruby…" Weiss smiled and sat up. "Look, just don't say it… Too much. I do like being referred to by my name sometimes you know."

That was Weiss' way of saying that it was fine to call her Wolfy whenever she'd like. "Got it!" She hugged the wolf, making her yelp, but Weiss decided to counter by pushing the rose girl down. "Eep!"

Yang started to laugh when Weiss had pinned Ruby down. One would think after what happened to her and Ruby during their sparring match, Weiss wouldn't want to pin her partner down like that, but she wasn't thinking that way anymore.

"You tend to jump on me a lot. Just returning the favor, you dolt." Weiss said with a smirk.

Ruby giggled happily. "I guess that's only fair."

Willow was quite surprised by that, remembering how her daughter had jumped on her when she first saw her at Beacon. " _Even to this day, she's changing more and more. Lazuria… I hope someway, somehow, you know your daughter is doing wonderfully in her life."_

Summer watched them from a distance, chuckling to herself when she saw Weiss pinning Ruby down, but her attention was taken when she heard Raven. "Hey, what did you need to talk about?"

Raven looked annoyed, more so than usual as she held her scroll up, showing the message she received. "I'm going to have to leave earlier than I thought."

The blacksmith looked at the message, seeing that it was from Qrow, requesting Raven come to Atlas as soon as she could. "Atlas? What does he want you there for? I mean, you and Willow were just there the other day."

"I spoke with him and of course all he does is give me cryptic nonsense." Raven shook her head. "My brother never really likes giving a straight answer."

"Well, how exactly did he phrase it?" Summer asked.

"That I specifically need to be there, and to not ask so many questions." Raven crossed her arms. "Honestly, I may just not go this time around. Teach him to just give me a damn answer for once."

"Come on, Raven. You know he only asks for your help when it's serious." Summer reminded. "Just find out what's going on, and remember, I'll be there on Monday with Willow. So if you need me there too, I won't be far."

Raven sighed. "Yeah, fine."

"Thanks, Raven." Summer smiled, looking over at the others. "Weiss is feeling better by the way, and it was because Ruby went to see her."

"Hmm, she still can't expect confronting someone will help every single time." Raven stated, noticing her daughter was there too. "Look, I need to get going… Let Yang know I was needed in Atlas. She'll understand." As she was about to walk the other way, she felt Summer grab her arm. "You're not going to let me go, are you?"

Summer shook her head. "Not after getting you this far."

Raven turned back around, realizing her daughter hadn't seen her yet. She could just leave, but with Summer's grasp on her, she nodded and walked towards Yang.

After a few seconds, Blake noticed Raven walking over, so she nudged her partner. "Yang."

"Hmm?" Yang looked over, seeing her mom walking to her, so she sighed. "Give me a sec." She got up, meeting her mom halfway. "Hey, mom..."

"Still not happy about what we talked about?" Raven said, her voice not showing any concern about it. "You should know that not everyone will view the world like you, Yang."

Yang shrugged. "Yeah, I'm not a child. But it doesn't mean I have to follow your advice, y'know."

"Well, I'm not here to tell you how to live your life… You've done well enough without me this far, so to start now-." Raven was cut off with a slight shove.

"Stop bringing that up!" Yang yelled, Summer watching from where she waited for Raven. "Can't you start thinking about what you can do, instead of what you missed out on?! Hell, you're the one who told me not to think about the past so much!"

Raven was taken aback by the shove, almost wanting to retaliate, but she dared not to. "You say you're not a child, yet here you are shoving someone because you can't handle hearing the truth!"

Yang's eyes turned red, but only for a moment, the lilac returning as she refused to let her anger get the best of her. "I don't want to think about what we missed out on, okay… I just want to know if the woman who gave birth to me will even give a damn to try to see me… To talk to me… You already made it here, why try to look back now?"

"Because you don't need this." Raven answered. "This back and forth."

"You don't have to make it a back and forth." Yang spoke softer, reaching her hand out to her mom, who simply pulled back. "Mom… After we talked the other day, I thought you'd understand."

"I do… But there are times I can't be around. Like right now." Raven said, guilt in her voice showing. "Your uncle needs me in Atlas."

"Oh…" Yang frowned. "I guess… I guess for a mission?"

Raven shrugged. "I can only assume so, but look… Just stop thinking so much about what I can do for you. I was serious when I said you've done well without me. It's not looking back, it's praise."

Yang looked down, noting that she was in fact doing well for herself in her life, without her mom, but it didn't mean she didn't want her around. A moment passed, and Yang felt her mom's hand on her shoulder.

"There isn't much for me to say here, Yang. But I can at least tell you this," The black haired huntress took a breath. "Don't expect anyone, even me, to share the same beliefs, but as long as you choose to stick to your ideals, then you can take pride in yourself for that."

"And what if I want someone to understand me more… What then?" Yang asked in a somber tone.

Raven wasn't an idiot. She knew she was talking about her. "Then, do what you think is best to get them to." Her eyes widened when she felt Yang punch her in the stomach, her aura not fully active since she wasn't expecting her daughter to punch her.

Yang watched as her mom recoiled back a bit, everyone who saw gasped. "I did what I felt was best."

The black haired huntress recuperated, her head raised back up to see her daughter crossing her arms and giving her an unamused look. "You take lessons to heart pretty quickly."

"When I learn them from you, it's not as hard as you'd expect." Yang lowered her arms. "Y'know… Even with what we just talked about, I'm still glad you showed up, mom."

"Hmm." Raven sighed. "Yeah… Well, I need to get to Atlas. It was… It was good seeing you again." Before she could move, Yang hugged her, the black haired huntress tensing up a bit until she gave in and wrapped one arm around her daughter. "Don't get soft on me after punching me in the stomach…"

"Or what?" Yang smiled, the two words reminding Raven of their first talk when she saw her at Beacon for the first time.

Willow watched as the two separated, Raven taking a moment to nod at her daughter as she began heading for the airships. " _Wait, it's not Monday. Where is she going?"_

Ruby and Weiss were back being sat down, both wondering if Yang was okay, while Blake looked the most concerned, since her partner had resorted to yelling with her mom. "Do you think Yang is mad?" Ruby asked.

"She hugged her mom after punching her in the stomach, so… Maybe?" Weiss couldn't give her a straight answer and tried to feel for her aura. "Still not enough…" She frowned.

"Just a little longer. I know it." Ruby assured, but as she was about to rub Weiss' fur, the white wolf's aura began to show. "Whoa! Weiss, your aura."

The white wolf gasped and looked nervous, since she had already tried using her semblance but failed. "W-What if it's happening again?!"

"It won't, Weiss. I promise it won't." Willow instantly wrapped her arms around her daughter, doing her best to calm her down. "Just breathe, sweetie."

Her light blue aura continue to show all over her body, but when the light shined on her, her mom gasped when she didn't feel herself hugging her daughter. "W-Weiss? Where did…" She looked down and her eyes widened.

Blake and Ruby looked on in shock as well. "W-What?" Weiss looked at their confused faces, wondering what had happened, but when she looked down, she felt closer to the ground, even on her paws. "Gah! What happened to me?!"

The white wolf was now the size of a wolf pup. "Oh my gosh!" Ruby squealed and slid over, looking down at her partner. "How did you change your size, Weiss?! You look so cute!"

"I-I didn't do this!" Weiss exclaimed as she was freaking out, but her mom picked her up like she did when she first used her 'semblance' years ago. "Mom… Is this another part of my semblance?"

Memories of her daughter first being able to use her 'semblance' popped into Willow's head. She kissed the top of her head to try and calm her down. "Yes, but I never thought… You'd be able to do this, snowflake."

"Ugh! I hate this!" Weiss complained, her small form making Ruby coo, while Blake was just in awe at how her 'semblance' kept on changing. "It hasn't even been a month since I've gotten to Beacon and my semblance is out of control!"

Yang walked over, clearly as shocked as the others were. "Okay… What. The. Shit? So… She can become small now? Like, how many other secrets have you been keeping from us, ice wolf?"

"I never did this before, you oaf!" Weiss yelled as she struggled out of her mom's grasp.

Willow let her down, and was overwhelmed by all the changes Weiss was going through with her 'semblance'. " _I… I don't know if I can tell her the truth."_

Yang and Ruby both laid down next to their wolf pup sized friend, doing their best not to make jokes about her situation. "And I think I used up my aura because of this… Now I have to wait longer to change back…"

"Hey, it's okay, Weiss." When Yang used her name, Weiss knew she was being serious. "Just like before, all you have to do is wait a few hours. I mean… What else can your semblance do at this point?"

"Please don't ask that again… I don't need to think about the possibilities…" Weiss frowned, but yelped when the blonde picked her up. "Y-Yang put me down!"

"Relax, ice wolf." She smiled and sat up, putting the pup sized wolf on her lap. "We're still outside here, so just rest a few hours and when you get up, then try to change back. Kay?"

Weiss grumbled a bit, but gave up and laid down on her friend's lap, blushing in embarrassment at how small she was. "Fine… But I swear if you take pictures of me like this… Nothing will keep you safe from me."

"Hehe. Wasn't gonna, but now that you mention it," Yang yelped when Weiss bit her hand. "Ouch!"

The white wolf growled, not worrying about biting her friends when she was that size. "Oaf."

* * *

 **In a sense, this was for fun, but after writing the ability for her to become smaller, I realized that it works in terms of what her kind could do. Being pup sized can be useful, and hey, it's pretty cute.**

 **To JJ- Thank you. I'm glad the way the development goes in this story is something you enjoy, and yeah, White Rose is slowly getting there. To answer your question about Weiss calling Summer by her name, it's gonna be something special.**

 **To GoldElite245- Right. Well I still do appreciate the feedback on that. I'll make sure to continue keeping the pace as a speed which everyone can hopefully enjoy.**

 **To the guest on chapter 40 about the feedback- I get what you mean about certain things being brought up. I just don't like when an issue is talked about and dealt with almost instantly, since it doesn't feel like an obstacle at all at that point. Still, I will take into account the feedback you gave. Thank you.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 42. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 43.**


	43. Cute Size

**Here's chapter 43, everyone.**

* * *

"Is there a way you can change back to your normal size with the aura you still have?" Blake asked the white wolf, who was still pup size on Yang's lap.

Weiss shrugged and looked annoyed still. "Like I would know. This literally just happened to me because I tried using my semblance without enough aura." She sighed and felt Yang petting her head. "Stop that…" Her tiny growl was cute, but Yang did stop on her request.

"Sorry, ice wolf. Just thought it would help." Yang's apology was genuine, as she truly wasn't trying to tease her friend about what had happened to her. "Do you want me to put you down? Be honest."

"I… No, I just… I wish these things would stop happening to me. First I grow and attack Ruby… Now I shrink and have no idea how to change back. It's infuriating." Weiss said, her small wolf ears flattened against her head.

"Wait!" Ruby's yell startled everyone. "This can be a really good thing, Weiss!"

The white wolf wasn't following. "How is being this small a good thing, you dunce? I can't fight like this at all."

"No, but you can get into places we normally can't get into, so I'd say that's a really awesome part of your semblance!" Ruby cheered.

Summer, who had gotten back to the group and was informed of what happened to Weiss nodded encouragingly. "I have to agree. There were times on missions that could have gone so much better if there was someone who could fit into a small vent, or a crack in a cave wall."

"Well it still won't do me any good if I can't control what size I am." Weiss countered, sighing as she laid her head down on Yang's lap.

"No one can master their semblance so easily, snowflake." Summer reminded, showing Weiss there was still room for her to grow and learn. "You just need to figure it out."

Weiss still looked unsure, and the blonde girl picked her up, making her yelp again. "Just putting you down, ice wolf."

The white wolf got on her paws and still hated how everyone was now much bigger to her, but Summer's words were what she focused on most. "How can I figure out how to use my semblance properly if my aura is low…"

Willow spoke up. "I blame myself, sweetie." Her voice got everyone's attention. "If I was actually able to help you train better, you'd have more of a grip on your aura."

Summer decided to cut in. "Blame is boring to bring up, Willow." She looked down at Weiss. "Snowflake, your mom told you she's been training her aura, so that's the answer right there. You've trained your fighting skills and semblance use, but not your aura."

"What if this is my aura's limit…" Weiss concerningly asked.

"You won't know till you try." Summer smiled.

Weiss thought about it for a moment. " _Aura is still a hard concept to understand, even to this day… So maybe she's right. It would give me something else to do around here too."_

Ruby perked up. "I'd like to train with you too, Weiss. I don't use my semblance as much as I want to, and it's kinda the same reason. I just run outta juice."

Blake surprisingly spoke next. "One's aura isn't able to become infinite, but it can grow stronger. Just look at fully trained huntresses and huntsmen."

"Yeah… I guess that's true." Weiss started.

Summer smirked and leaned over to poke her on the head. "What? Did you think you'd be a huntress in a few weeks, snowflake?"

Weiss blushed a bit, feeling embarrassed by that. "N-No, I was just-."

"Just a joke, snowflake. Look, don't stress this out as much as you are. Train hard, and you'll see that this new part of your semblance is a good thing." Summer assured.

"Train hard… Okay." Weiss nodded, thinking more about what she could do with this new found addition to her 'semblance'.

* * *

Later that day, Weiss was on top of Ruby's head, clearly doing her best to hide her face in the black and red hair she had. "This. Is. So. Embarrassing."

Yang grinned, unable to stop herself from wanting to tease her anymore. "Just because you're cute size, doesn't mean ya gotta be embarrassed about it, ice wolf. Embrace the cute!"

Weiss growled and rolled her eyes. "You try being this small and say it's fun, Xiao Long."

"Would if I could, but I can't, soooooo, just give me a rundown on how it goes later." Yang chuckled as they got to their dorm, Weiss sighing in relief at how no one tried questioning why a white wolf pup was on Ruby's head.

"Finally back." Weiss jumped off of Ruby's head, but the rose girl gasped as she caught her in mid air. "Gah! Ruby! Let me down, you dolt!"

"Why did you just jump off like that?!" Ruby freaked as she set her partner on her bed, earning an annoyed look from Weiss.

"I may be small right now, Ruby, but you're still short and a jump like that is nothing." Weiss remarked.

Ruby chuckled as she rubbed the back of her head. "Sorry."

Weiss groaned at her partner, while Yang plopped down next to her on her bed, making the pup sized wolf bounce and yelp. "Yang! You oaf, don't do that!"

"You know I couldn't resist!" Yang stuck her tongue out, while Willow held her hands on her hips, giving the blonde an unamused look.

"I would rather you not joke around about this, Yang." Willow said as she gently sat on the other side of Weiss. "Sweetie, would you rather lay on my lap?"

"N-No!" Weiss was way too embarrassed already. "I-I just want to get some uninterrupted rest, please." She quickly ran to the pillow and laid on it, not wanting anyone to bug her.

Blake spoke up for Weiss. "She's right. If her aura is going to recharge, she needs her rest."

"Thank you, Blake." Weiss said, earning a nod from the cat Faunus.

Willow felt a little bad about that, since her daughter did ask to not be treated like a kid anymore. "I apologize, sweetie. I'll let you get your rest." She got up from the bed and looked to Summer. "You and I should actually go and speak with Ozpin. I wanted to ask him a few questions, and you're the best guide around the school right now."

"Yeah, I kinda have a few questions I wanna ask Oz too." Summer replied, both women waving to the team as they left the dorm.

Yang sighed and stood up from Weiss' bed. "Uh, ice wolf, sorry if you're a little annoyed with me-."

Weiss opened one eye and growled a little. "Sleep. Let me please have it. No more apologies, or teasing, or questions. Just. Let. Me. Sleep."

After being bit before, the blonde brawler backed away slowly. "Yeesh… Okay, okay." When she sat down on Blake's bed, she watched as the pup sized wolf closed her eye. "Note to self, do not piss off a tiny Weiss."

"I heard that!" Weiss yelled, making the blonde yelp and hide under the covers.

Blake facepalmed, finding her partner to be ridiculous. "You only have yourself to blame."

* * *

The next day, which surprising to Weiss, was how long she managed to sleep through, was much better to her. She yawned, opening her eyes to see she was still laying on the pillow, so her 'semblance' didn't go off without her say. "Okay… It's been enough time." She crawled off of the pillow, thinking about whether she should change back completely, or just her size.

"Good morning, Wolfy!" Ruby greeted, making the pup sized wolf yelp and jump in fear. "O-Oops…" She knew that repercussions were abound.

"Ruby Rose!" Weiss growled, but her attempt at looking mad failed in Ruby's eyes, as she looked too cute to her. "Can you seriously not understand how annoying that is?!"

Blake groaned as she sat up. "Both of you, please stop with the yelling."

Ruby covered her mouth with both hands, mouthing off a muffled apology. Weiss sighed and looked to Blake. "Sorry, but how else can I react when my dolt of a partner yells that loudly out of nowhere?"

"Fair point." Blake got out of bed, seeing as she was already up. "Wait, why are you still-?"

"I haven't decided on whether I should change back completely, or try to get back to my normal wolf size." Weiss explained as she jumped off of the bed. When she landed on her paws, she saw Ruby kneeling down. "I swear if you pick me up…"

"I-I wasn't!" Ruby blushed, and gasped when she was hit in the back of the head by a pillow her sister threw.

Yang looked annoyed as she sent a glare down at her sister. "Ruby, could you please keep your voice down?!"

Ruby grumbled a bunch, and the pup sized white wolf rolled her eyes as she jumped on her partner's lap. "Huh?"

"You seriously need to stop being pouty, Ruby Rose." Weiss said as she curled up on Ruby's lap. "Give me a bit to think on what I should do."

"Hehe." Ruby smiled and nodded, keeping herself still to let her partner rest up. "If you want some help deciding, I think you should try changing your size again. We have the whole day without classes after all."

Weiss did feel that training her aura usage would be for the best, so she lifted her head up and looked at her partner. "Well, when you put it like that, I suppose that would be a good opportunity. Should I try in here?"

"I don't see why not. I mean, how big you normally are still fits in here." Ruby remarked, letting the pup sized white wolf down. "Guys." She spoke to her other teammates. "Weiss is gonna try to use her semblance to get back to normal size."

Yang gave a thumbs up as she was laid in bed, not looking, while Blake nodded too. The white wolf closed her eyes and focused on her aura, bringing it back up like the day before.

" _All I did was try to use my semblance… So… Maybe I just imagine myself as my normal size?"_

She questioned herself, but had to try something, so she imagined she was back to the same size, and the light shined around her body, blinding her team. Moments later, she opened her eyes and looked down, gasping happily. "It worked!"

Ruby ran up to her partner, hugging her tight since she was back to being her normal wolf size. "You did it!"

Yang groaned, since she knew she wasn't getting any sleep, but when she looked down to see Weiss in her normal sized wolf form, she couldn't stay mad for long. "Congrats, ice wolf."

The white wolf's tail swayed happily, but since she was able to change back, she wanted to know if she had better control of it. "Thanks, and… Should I keep trying to change sizes or just back to myself?"

"Hmm…" Ruby thought about it for a moment. "I say you do what makes you happy, Weiss." Her innocent smile brought a blush to Weiss' face.

Weiss took a bit to think on it, even remembering the moment she tried to attack Ruby. That was the one that would make her want to just change back to human, but she thought about the word control, and how she would need it if she didn't want that kind of thing to happen again. "I'd like to keep trying to use my semblance properly."

"Then I'll help you!" Ruby cheered, the white wolf turning her head in confusion. "What? I know I can't give you aura and stuff, but I can at least help you out with resting up and stuff."

"If you really don't mind waiting a lot…" Weiss was grateful that her partner would spend the day with her training, so she nuzzled her a bit. "Thank you."

Ruby grinned and poked Weiss on the nose. "No problem, Wolfy. But maybe we should go to the training room for this. I think Yang and Blake still want some sleep."

Yang shrugged and hopped off the bed. "Nah, you two already got me up, so might as well get an early morning in for once when we aren't rushing for classes."

Blake nodded in agreement. "I'd honestly like to have an early training session myself. If you wouldn't mind being my training partner, Yang."

The blonde brawler smirked. "Oh like you need to ask. Besides, we're already partners, so just be ready to take me on."

The cat Faunus found her attitude to be quite charming, so she smiled in return. "Don't be so cocky. I may just surprise you."

Weiss playfully rolled her eyes, thinking about how to properly train her aura. " _I shouldn't just up and use my semblance back and forth. That'll end up exhausting all of my aura."_

"Hey, Weiss?" Ruby snapped her out of her thoughts. "Do you want me to bring your clothes and Myrtenaster?"

The white wolf blushed a bit, shyly nodding. "Y-Yes, please."

Yang chuckled and rubbed the wolf's back. "Relax, ice wolf. Everyone here isn't gonna look, and besides, we're a team, so try to not be so worried about that part of your semblance with us, kay?"

She knew Yang was right. They were a team, and more so friends, so she shouldn't be so embarrassed about that side of her semblance. "O-Okay, but I swear, one joke about it, and I will freeze that mane of yours."

"Eh?!" Yang yelped in fear as she hid behind her partner. "That's playing dirty!"

Blake sighed as she held her hand on her forehead, finding it to be tedious to deal with her new team at times.

* * *

 **Little bit of 'semblance' training for Weiss wouldn't hurt, and with Ruby, she'll be doing that from time to time, since I don't wanna just say she magically learned how to utilize her abilities without some form of showing it.**

 **To JJ- With this chapter, she was able to change her size, so like it was said, she will be training to learn how to properly control that. And yes, puppy Weiss was too cute to pass up on writing. Raven and Yang still have their difference, but slowly they're at least getting somewhere.**

 **To the guest on chapter 42- Thanks. I'm happy to hear that the balance in the story is, well, balanced. And yeah, the ones who treat her like how she wants to be are the ones who get the privilege to rub her fur.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 43. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 44.**


	44. Desperate

**Here's chapter 44, everyone.**

* * *

"Okay, Qrow, what was so damn important that you couldn't simply tell me over the-." Raven cut herself off as she entered the cabin that she and Willow had used during her training. "Y-You?" She was staring at the white haired woman that she had encountered in the snowy field. "Lazuria."

"So, you do know her." Qrow remarked, taking a drink from his canteen. "Told me she recognized my name from your contact's list. You really need to keep that thing better secured." He pointed to Raven's scroll.

Raven simply rolled her eyes and walked over to Lazuria, who was sitting on the bed of the cabin. "You told me Willow is safer without you, yet here you are again. Why?"

Lazuria sighed, looking crestfallen. "I remembered seeing his name in your scroll, and what that name means." She looked to Qrow. "You're Qrow Branwen, a huntsman whose made a name for himself from Vale." Then she looked to Raven. "And Raven Branwen, part of the same team, both part of a very well known hunter team from Beacon Academy."

"You did your homework." Raven commented, unsure of of how to feel seeing the woman again. "Now tell us, why does it matter knowing who we are?"

"To ask for your help…" Lazuria answered, the fatigue in her voice showing. "I told you to not stick to fairy tales that day. Did you listen?"

Raven leaned up against the wall, keeping an eye out through the window. "I still don't know anything about those Relentless, or the Marked, but I do know a bit more about you, and I've had my suspicions."

Lazuria was a bit curious on what she meant by knowing more about her. "And exactly what have you learned about me? You didn't speak to Willow, did you?"

"Willow Schnee?" Qrow was surprised by that. "The hell does she have to do with this?"

Raven shook her head. "No, I did go to Beacon and had a chat with Glynda Goodwitch." That name caused Lazuria to freeze up. "She was on a team with you, right? Yet, you were listed as K.I.A."

Lazuria looked down, nodding slowly. "Clearly that isn't the case." Qrow commented. "So what exactly was the reason you faked your death?"

"To make sure no one I knew would look for me." The white haired woman explained. "Since you're both here now, I'd like to tell you who the Relentless are, but… Only if you are ready to deal with such people."

Qrow shrugged. "I've dealt with enough monsters in my life, human or Grimm, so if these guys are just another group, then I don't have much trouble. Just as long as I'm getting paid for the job."

Raven didn't answer for a moment, keeping her arms crossed. "Explain who they are first, and what the Marked are as well." She paused for a moment. "Also tell me what your connection to Willow Schnee is. Then I'll decide."

Since Lazuria had reached out to them, she knew it wasn't going to be as simple as avoiding the questions. "I guess that's only fair." She took a breath. "The Relentless are a group of… What did you call me? Fairy tale hunters." The crestfallen woman laughed bitterly. "They simply think because of what I am, that I pose a threat to humanity."

"What you are?" Qrow sat down on the chair, finding the conversation odder than normal. "And what exactly are you?"

Lazuria chuckled to herself. "Why don't you ask your sister that?"

Raven recounted the day she met Lazuria. "This woman, isn't like us. We can change into our namesake, but she is quite literally the opposite." With his continued confused look, she sighed. "She's an animal that can become human."

Qrow was about to take another drink, but froze partway. "Literally the opposite… And how exactly can an animal, become a human?"

"Humans tend to ask that question when they learn about the fairy tale itself, but they never think it's real." Lazuria remarked. "It's not so hard to understand. Just like humans, us animals have aura."

"And with an aura, comes either a semblance, or some form of power." Raven finished her sentence.

"Some would call it a gift, others would call it a curse." Lazuria paused, sighing to herself. "For me, it's a curse, for my daughter, it's a gift." Raven started to have more questions in her head, but chose to wait till she had every bit of info from Lazuria. "Animals are not as gifted as humans are with aura. Only a small percentage is even granted this… Power."

"Are you saying there's more out there like you?" Qrow asked.

Lazuria nodded. "Yes, and our population continue to lessen with each Relentless marking us." Raven waited. "It's like I said, because of what I am, a wolf that can become human, the Relentless marked me."

"And this mark, can you not get rid of it?" Qrow questioned.

"No, it is tied to their semblances." Lazuria explained.

"What?" Raven spoke. "Are you telling me an entire group of people have the same semblance? I can understand maybe a few people having similar ones, but on this scale."

Lazuria nodded. "Yes, it was a very… Hard to believe bit of info I learned many years ago, but there's a reason why I can't escape."

Raven cut her off before she could continue. "You told me killing the one who marked you didn't work. Why?"

"One reason." Lazuria took a breath. "They're all connected."

Qrow and Raven were taken aback. "What? Okay, you're not making any sense here. They're all connected?"

"Being… Assigned a Marked is what they do, but once a Marked kills a Relentless, their mark is given to another." Lazuria explained.

"How? That shouldn't be possible, even with a semblance meant for tracking." Raven stated.

"I couldn't say." Lazuria laid back, looking up at the roof of the cabin. "It doesn't matter, because each time I kill one, they just have another come back with my mark still connected to them."

Qrow couldn't believe what he was hearing, even with the world he lived in, and the power he and his sister possessed. "So what do you expect us to do about it?"

"I… I never wanted to go to others for this." Lazuria admitted. "But… I'm tired. Years of this… I am so tired." She teared up. "The first time I killed one of them, I wondered how long I was safe for," As she sat up, they saw the tears, Raven sighing, while Qrow chose to remain silent. "But a month later, another one showed up."

"You've been brought to your limit, and this is your last ditch effort." Raven said, keeping her eyes closed.

"Yes." Lazuria responded, her tears hitting the bed sheets. "The only thing I want… Is to see my daughter again. To hold her and tell her how sorry I am." More tears fell, and Qrow put his cantine down.

"Okay." The huntsman spoke. "We'll take the mission, or at least I will." He looked to his sister. "I may have gotten her here, but in the end, I don't speak for her."

Raven opened her eyes, looking over at Lazuria. "I told you I would give you an answer once you told me what's your connection with Willow Schnee."

Lazuria gave her a bitter laugh. "Right… Well… What do you know about Willow?"

"That she's in a marriage that she shouldn't be in anymore. She's a mother of three… And one of her daughters can become a wolf…" Raven waited for Lazuria's reaction, while Qrow took in that info, shocked by what Raven was insinuating.

"You figured that all out…" Lazuria shook her head, a sad smile appearing on her face. "Looks like you did your homework too."

Raven looked angry, stomping over to the woman as she lifted her up by the arm. "It wasn't just the suspicions. When you said daughter… That was the moment." She let go of the woman when she was on her feet. "Weiss Schnee isn't Willow's daughter."

Qrow couldn't say a thing, and Lazuria looked just as angry. "Yes she is! Willow raised her from the day she was born! Don't ever say she isn't hers!"

Hearing that only brought on Raven's own insecurities, so she took a step back. "I'm… Sorry. I just meant Willow didn't give birth to Weiss. She's yours… Right?"

Lazuria took a moment to calm down, tears still falling. "Yes. She is… Was my daughter, but the day she was born, I chose to give her to Willow, because she needed to be protected. To be safe."

Qrow had enough staying silent. "Okay, hold the hell on. Let me get this straight. You were marked, so you chose to give your daughter away because you didn't want her to end up like you?"

"Yes. Back then, I had only known of the Relentless from those I've known of for years. The same as me." Lazuria wiped her eyes a bit. "I don't even know how they can spare so many people to hunt me down."

Raven contemplated the news she recieved. "Have you ever managed to track down where they send these people from?" When she shook her head, the raven haired huntress sighed. "That's going to make this harder."

"Are you saying you'll help me?" Lazuria questioned.

"There's a possibility, but only until I know of what you'll do if we can manage to free you of this mark." Raven explained.

Lazuria looked out the cabin window. "If I know for a fact that my mark is gone, and I'll never be hunted again… I'll go to my daughter, and tell her everything… Then leave."

"What? You'll drop all of that information on her, just to disappear? How can you just do that to your own kid?" Qrow asked, while Raven felt even more of a similarity with Lazuria.

"You believe she'll be better off without you in her life, don't you?" Raven answered for her.

Lazuria bit her lip, nodding as she gripped her right arm. "Seventeen years… She's lived her own life with her own family for so long. She doesn't need me, but I at least want her to know the truth."

"Then why not have Willow tell her? Why wait till you're free of your mark?" Raven continued to ask.

"Because I won't place that burden on Willow.. I may have birthed her, but Willow Schnee is her true mother, and I refuse to have her be the one to tell her the truth." Lazuria explained in a defiant tone.

Qrow stepped in. "Okay, okay, this is getting us nowhere." He looked to his sister. "Raven, it's your call on you want to help me on this job or not."

"It'll be a long mission…" Raven stated.

"Just means we get paid more by the day." Qrow joked, while Raven rolled her eyes.

The black haired huntress helped Lazuria back on the bed. "Did you recently kill one?" A nod was given. "And that gives you a good month before another shows up?"

"The shortest time they've taken to send someone, had been three weeks and two days." Lazuria answered honestly.

Raven sighed. "We don't have a lot of time then."

"I may be tired… But I'll continue to do what I can to evade them." Lazuria said, not wanting to lose her life until she got to hug her daughter at least once. "However much time you need."

"That's a lot to ask of you." Qrow remarked.

"I know, but I reached out to you two." Lazuria reminded. "This is the only chance I have at being able to hug my daughter, so please… Help me."

Raven held her hand out to the woman, who took it after a moment of hesitating. "Don't tell your daughter the truth." Lazuria's eyes widened. "If you really want her to be happy, then let her believe that Willow Schnee is her birth mother."

A tear fell. Lazuria took in Raven's words as she remembered the times where she would sneak around and watch Willow from a distance. The loving nature the woman showed when she took care of Weiss, and how happy Weiss was because of her. To tell her that her whole life was a lie, would crush her in Lazuria's eyes.

"Okay… I won't tell her." Lazuria shed more tears, slowly pulling her hand away as she placed both palms over her knees, lowering her head in response.

Qrow rubbed the back of his head and found the room to be way too awkward for his taste. "I can't say we'll free you of that mark, but we'll do what we can to track these guys down. So… Just stay safe till then." All he got was a nod from Lazuria.

Raven walked out of the cabin, leaving Qrow with the crestfallen woman. She leaned her back against the cabin, looking up at the clouds that passed by.

" _I did say that I might as well keep going…"_

She thought about Willow, how much the woman had changed over the years, and how her youngest daughter she loved to no end, wasn't even hers. "Weiss Schnee… Is really Weiss Okami."

* * *

 **And now the Branwen twins are officially involved in Lazuria's situation.**

 **To JJ- Weiss' cute size is gonna be used here and there because, well it's cute, and at one point it'll actually be used for something useful, so hopefully I can make that seem right. And yeah, Yang is close to being bitten when Weiss isn't a pup. :P As for her shifting through her smaller form and normal form, that comes with practice.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 44. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 45.**


	45. I Won't Hide This

**Here's chapter 45, everyone.**

* * *

"Alright, Ruby, maybe while I'm training, you can do some on the side too. It'll be better than sitting around waiting on me." Weiss reasoned as the team got into the training room together.

"Uhhhhh, yeah that sounds fine to me." Ruby grinned happily, pulling Crescent Rose out. "Whatcha gonna try doing first though?"

The white wolf thought about it for a moment and nodded to herself when she knew. "I would say try to get a better grip on my aura. I tend to just use my semblance without thinking about how much aura I'll use up."

Yang spoke up. "Good idea. My semblance is more passive, so I can't really train it on that level, but keeping my guard up even more is how I get better so I don't rely on it too much."

"You don't want to use your semblance as much?" Blake asked.

"It's not that I don't want to, it's like I called it. It's more passive, and works better when I take damage to throw it back. Soooo, y'know, taking damage is kinda not the best thing to do in a fight." Yang commented as she activated her gauntlets.

Blake was impressed with how she worded that. "Makes sense. But it's still not that bad of a semblance if the enemy doesn't know about it."

"Oh trust me, I don't hate my semblance. I think it's awesome and let's me get into a fight a lot easier than others. Y'know, since I can almost be certain to dish out enough damage back to end a fight." Yang remarked.

"Hmm, well remember, I do know your semblance. So don't think you'll be able to end a fight with me as easy as you did last time." Blake reminded, getting Gambol Shroud out.

"Like I said, I don't wanna rely on it." Yang smirked in return, the two partners getting to the side where the dust was stored. "So, dust or nah?"

Weiss overheard the two, so she walked over. "I would recommend dust."

"Hmm? Oh, ice wolf. How come?" Yang asked.

"It'll help you learn more ways to utilize the dust you have, that is, if you want to learn that here." Weiss explained, her ears perking up when she heard Ruby yelling as she sliced a combat drone in two. "Ugh, impatient."

Yang chuckled a bit. "You know Ruby, ice wolf. And thanks for the suggestion." Weiss nodded and went back to where she was, wanting to train on her own for a bit. "Well, dust it is then."

Blake nodded in return, loading some dust rounds in her pistol. "Before we do… Can we… Talk? I was hoping we could when the entire team is around."

"Oh, yeah, sure, Blake." Yang said as she followed her partner to one of the seats. "So, did you just wanna talk with me, or Weiss and Ruby too?"

The cat Faunus was feeling even more nervous after that question, but she nodded, not wanting to wait any longer. "Yes. I know they just started training, but I need to talk about this."

Yang was happy that Blake wanted to talk, but she noticed how nervous she was. "Hey, if you need a little bit more time-."

"No, honestly, I hate how I've been." Blake remarked.

"People are different, Blake, but if you are ready to talk," Yang looked over to the other two team members. "Ruby! Ice wolf! Get over here for a second!"

The two partners groaned in response, since they wanted to train, but they walked over, wondering what the blonde could possibly want. "Yes?" Weiss spoke.

Blake answered for the blonde. "I wanted to talk with you three…" She took a breath and looked at Weiss specifically. "You already know about this, but I wanted to say thank you for not telling anyone about it."

Weiss looked a bit confused, but when she thought about it, her eyes widened. "Oh. Blake, are you sure?"

"Yes. I don't want to hide it from the team I'll be with for four years." Blake explained, reaching up to the top of her head as she began to undo her bow.

Ruby and Yang were confused for just a moment, but they gasped when the bow came undone and revealed two cat ears. "B-Blake? You're a-."

"Faunus." Blake finished for Ruby, while Weiss stayed silent.

Yang examined the cat ears that her partner had, not as shocked per say, but more so connecting the dots at why she didn't like the Schnee family name. "So… That's why you don't like the Schnee Dust Company."

Ruby frowned, remembering how Weiss told her that Blake wasn't fond of her family. "Yes." Blake's ears flattened against her head. "But seeing how you," She looked to Weiss. "And your mother are, I can't think much else of it."

"Well, why did you hide your ears from me and Ruby then?" Yang asked, looking a little sad since that secret was way too big to keep from her.

Blake sighed. "Because I've experienced enough discrimination to want to hide in plain sight." She got up, but Yang gently grabbed her arm. "I wasn't trying to say you and your sister are like other people… But I can't just know that."

Yang wasn't dumb. She knew Faunus were discriminated more than anyone on Remnant, so she got up as well. "Blake, I don't blame you for wanting to use a bow. I just… I don't want you to feel like you have to hide around us."

Ruby cut in. "Yeah, we're a team, and your friends now." Her pure innocent smile was the final one Blake needed to see to show her that she truly was part of the team. "Wait, what kind of ears are they?"

The cat Faunus blushed a little. "C-Cat ears."

It was the first time Weiss saw her ears as well. "I've actually met several cat Faunus back in Atlas." The white haired teen admitted. "They were actually acquaintances of my mother."

Blake's ears perked up. "T-They were?"

Weiss let out a small smile, nodding to the cat Faunus. "Yes. I know it sounds unbelievable, but when my father would go on business trips, she'd invite them over." She sighed sadly though. "It was… The only real time mom felt like she could ask them to come over though."

Ruby reached her hand over to rub her partner's back, earning a few tail sways, while Blake spoke up. "I'm… I'm sorry for assuming anything else, Weiss."

"Don't be. That's over now, and besides," Her tail swayed faster. "I'm just happy you wanted to show us the real you."

Blake returned the smile and yelped when Yang wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Yeah! I get to know even more about my badass shadowcat of a partner."

"Please don't call me that." Blake begged.

"Sorry, Blake, but when this oaf finds a nickname to give, she sticks with it. Just look at what she calls me." Weiss reminded.

"Ugh, well I don't want you calling me that in public. The whole shadowcat thing might be a dead giveaway on you know what." Blake stated, pulling away from the blonde as she began putting her bow back on.

"No problem." Yang gave her a thumbs up "Come on. Let's get sparring, partner."

The way she said it simply made Blake smile, so the two partners walked back over to the arena, while Ruby was glad to see Blake doing better on the team. "See. I told you we just needed time." Weiss reminded.

"Yeah… Still, if anything comes up like this again, please tell me. I wanna be able to help my team out too." Ruby said, both her and Weiss heading to the other side of the room.

"I know you do, and you have, Ruby. Remember that you've helped me more than I can ever ask for." The white wolf smiled, getting ready to focus on her aura. "Now, how about you maybe take it a little slow on the training. You literally cut a combat drone in half."

Ruby looked over at the drone, chuckling nervously as it was reassembled after she pushed a button on the console she was using to train. "Heh, sorry. Just got a little excited. But hey, at least it's not too hard to fix."

"Only because the Atlas tech that was offered is being used here." Weiss reminded. "I'll be over here, so do what you feel is best for training." She sat and closed her eyes, getting a feel of her aura.

"Right." Ruby ran over to where the combat drones were being set up for her.

Weiss thought about what her mother told her. How she was training her semblance and aura, so it inspired her to work harder to not fall behind her team.

* * *

About an hour in, and the team seemed to be having an easy time with their training, except for the white wolf who was still unable to get a good grip on how much aura she's able to use with her 'semblance'. "It still feels like I'll use too much…" She sighed to herself. "I'll have to at least try." Weiss looked over at her partner, watching as she dodged a punch from one of the white and grey combat drones, and in return she cut the legs of it right off.

"Take that!" Ruby grinned in triumph.

"Ruby, could you come over here for a moment?" Weiss called out to her partner.

The rose girl heard her, so she quickly ran over to the console and turned off the remaining combat drones. "Yeah, one sec." She ran over to the white wolf and stretched a bit. "Woo, training is still fun."

"I'm glad at least one of us is having a good time with it…" Weiss said in a somber tone.

"What's wrong?" Ruby asked, wanting to rub her fur to help her feel better, but she wanted to hear what Weiss had to say first.

"I still can't get a good read on my aura, so… Um, can you look at my aura levels when I use my semblance?" Weiss didn't want to bother her partner, since it meant having to supervise her for a good bit of time, but she couldn't do it alone.

Ruby smiled, pulling out her scroll to show her partner that she had her team's aura levels on hand at all times. "Of course I can, Wolfy."

Weiss blushed from hearing the nickname, but her tail wagging showed she was enjoying it too. "I'm sorry for bothering you with this."

"Stop. You know I'm happy to help you, Weiss." Ruby assured and stood a bit away from her partner to give her some room. "Okay, I'll let you know how much of your aura you use from this point."

The white wolf nodded, taking a deep breath as she thought about changing her size. " _Not like that pup size again… Maybe like how I was when I first got here."_ Her aura began to spike a bit, surprising Ruby as the light shined on Weiss' body. Moments later, she had shrunk back to the pup size she was in the day before. "Ugh! I didn't want to be this size! I was trying to get to how I was during initiation!"

Ruby still found her to be way too cute when she was that size, but she wasn't going to bring it up, since she wanted to be helpful for her partner. "It's okay, Weiss. You only used up about, thirty percent of your aura. So you can still use some to change back."

Weiss' ears perked up a bit, the encouragement from her partner getting her to not be as distressed, so she nodded and closed her eyes again. " _Stay calm, Weiss… You can do this. Just don't think too hard on it."_

Her aura levels were about at sixty three on Ruby's scroll, so it meant that she would be able to use her 'semblance' at least once more if it didn't work.

The light shined on her body again, that time getting her to about the size she was when she first got to Beacon. "You're not a puppy anymore, Weiss!" Ruby cheered, and the white wolf looked down, seeing that she wasn't as big as she was before, so it made her sigh in relief.

"It really worked…" Weiss was thankful for that, her tail wagging happily as she walked over to Ruby. "How much aura did I use there?"

"Let me check." Ruby brought her attention to Weiss' aura levels. "Looks like you used about… Huh, twenty nine percent that time."

Weiss was okay with that, since even one percent less usage of her aura mattered in her eyes. "I see. Okay, well… I think a break may be needed for me. I don't want to expend all of my aura in one go."

"Good idea." Ruby put her scroll away and rub her back, making her blush. "Rest up for now. I'll sit with you."

"You don't have to, you dolt. I only needed help on my aura levels." Weiss said as she laid down, watching as her partner shook her head and sat next to her.

"Nope. I wanna rest too, and besides, I said I'd help you rest up before. So I'm keeping my promise." The rose girl's smile was one of Weiss' favorite sights, so instead of arguing with her partner, the white wolf chuckled and rested her head on Ruby's lap.

"You're a dork." Weiss closed her eyes, feeling Ruby rubbing her neck a little.

Ruby loved spending time with Weiss, and even then, she wanted to spend even more time with her. "If being a dork means I help you feel happy, then I'll live my whole life being the biggest dork in the whole world."

Just her saying that brought a blush on Weiss' face. " _Ruby Rose…"_

* * *

 **Glad to see people liked the info that was given last chapter. This one was more for Blake's reveal, and Weiss' training. Not much else to be said here.**

 **To JJ- Yeah, there was a lot for sure, and there's still more to be learned. With her comment on Willow being Weiss' mother, even if Willow didn't birth her, yes, it's how I view it too. She was raised from birth, and Willow loves Weiss like she was her biological daughter.**

 **To GoldElite245- Wow, it's been a long time since I've seen the first shrek movie. Would be funny to do, but sadly it doesn't call for it. With Raven and Lazuria, yeah, they both have their issues with their daughters, and we'll see if they can overcome those issues.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 45. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 46.**


	46. Another Learns The Truth

**Here's chapter 46, everyone.**

* * *

"I would expect nothing else from you, Jacques." Leo said to the SDC President, acknowledging his deal as sound. "Your support is nothing less than a lifesaver, in more ways than I could hope for."

"Yes, well the Schnee Dust Company is simply the best when it comes to helping those in need." Jacques snidely remarked with a smirk. "Clearly this school needs a bit more… Security."

The headmaster of Haven Academy looked ashamed. "Uh, of course. This school will need the best, which is why I've agreed to work with you after seeing how much your support with the Atlas military has grown."

Jacques had his leg over the other, nodding as he really had no care for the people he supported. Only as long as they invested in his company. "Quite. Now then, as we spoke, our arrangements."

"R-Right." Leo got a pen from his desk. "H-Haven Academy thanks you for your support, and we'll gladly pay what we need to for the added security."

"Good." Jacques picked up his suitcase, opening it to reveal the papers he had ready. "Just sign on the lines, and your school will be much more protected. And your students will be outfitted even more so with my company's dust."

The headmaster took a breath, looking at the amount of papers on his desk. "Yes. Thank you." He was a bit hesitant, but as he started to sign, his fear beat his pride.

The SDC President's smirk did not fade, and with the signatures in place, he was that much closer to increasing his global presence. "You know, Leo, it's a shame it's taken you this long to accept my hospitality."

"W-Whatever do you mean, Jacques? I've always accepted the dust you supply for Haven." Leo said, stopping his signing.

"But not my security support." Jacques reminded with a scowl, scaring the headmaster a bit. "Honestly, you're a headmaster, yet you seem to not want your students better protected."

Leo bit his lip. "I-It's not that at all. I was just… Persuaded by Ozpin that my students are strong enough to not need such security…"

"Hmm, well clearly that's not the case." Jacques said as he rolled his eyes.

The Haven headmaster looked down at the papers, sighing to himself. "Ozpin trusted me with this school, Jacques… What if-."

"There is no what if here, you coward!" Jacques grew tired of his hesitation. "Now sign the rest of those papers already so you can be sure your students get the best security my company can offer!"

Leo gasped and quickly signed, his fear clearly winning over anything else. "Y-Yes, of course."

Jacques almost never let his anger get the better of him, but with a coward like Leo, he would allow it. Only because he knew the headmaster would do nothing about it.

* * *

"Father," He gave a small bow to his dad when he answered the door. "Have you finished with that headmaster?" Whitley inquired as his father walked into the room he was given to stay in during their stay in Mistral.

"Clearly. Pack your things. We'll be returning home today." Jacques ordered, watching as his son nodded and began getting his stuff together. "And Whitley, don't forget how to speak to people. That coward simply needed to be intimidated and his investment was secured."

Whitley knew his father must have yelled in some way at the headmaster, so he simply nodded. "Of course, father."

"Have you spoke with your mother?" Jacques asked, his arms behind his back as he noticed his son tensed up a bit.

"N-Not since the last time, father. I believe she will be home tomorrow though, since you informed me of that." Whitley responded.

"For her sake, she better be." Jacques muttered to himself, his son unable to hear that. "Yes, well try not to get distracted tomorrow. I expect you to finish your studies after all."

"Of course, father." Whitley almost sounded robotic, repeating the same phrase when his father spoke to him.

Jacques left the room without saying another word. Whitley, once he heard the door close, sighed to himself and stopped packing for a moment. He knew what his father meant when he told him to not get distracted. It simply meant that both of his parents would more than likely be fighting.

" _Mother, if you just… Stopped being so against father, he wouldn't be so angry with you…"_

Whitley didn't want to blame his mother completely, because deep down he knew she was only living her life, and his father was the one making things difficult. Still, he felt his father was doing something right, like he could actually keep his family safer than anyone.

* * *

Willow held her breath, feeling a wind blow by her as she had an odd feeling. She brought her hand up to her chest and frowned. "Willow? What's wrong?" Summer asked her friend, both in Vale at the time since Willow wanted to see the town before having to go back to Atlas.

"I-It's just a bad feeling." Willow answered honestly.

Summer put her bags down, mostly filled with smithing equipment. "Is this about tomorrow? Because if you're still a little nervous about it, remember I'll be right by your side the whole way."

Willow sighed as she and Summer took a seat on a bench they found. "Not when Jacques wants to speak to me privately, and knowing him, that'll be all he wants to see me for."

The blacksmith looked ticked off at hearing how he treats Willow. "If this gets worse, you can't let him continue, Willow. I'm serious."

"We've discussed this already, Summer. I… I just need to figure things out first. Okay?" Willow requested, hearing a sigh from her friend.

"Yeah, I get it… Doesn't mean I like it." Summer muttered, but Willow heard her.

"Who would, Summer? But for my family, I need to continue dealing with the man until I can find a way to take my family's company back, and make sure I don't lose my son." Willow said, her determination showing in her words.

Summer smiled, feeling proud of the woman. "You sacrifice a lot, Willow Schnee." She scooted closer and placed her hand on her shoulder. "It makes me proud to call you a friend."

"Didn't you tell me once that flattery would get me nowhere?" Willow chuckled lightly. "Or is it that I have to set the limit on how many points you'd receive for it?"

The blacksmith joined in on the laughter, lightly shoving her friend a bit. "As long as I don't reach that point limit, then I'll take what I can get for flattering you."

Willow playfully rolled her eyes and picked up her bags, a saddened expression appearing on her face. "Summer… There's… There's something I'd like to tell you, but alone."

"Oh, uh, yeah, let's get back to Beacon so we can talk-." Willow shook her head, cutting off the blacksmith. "Huh?"

"I'd rather we not talk about this in the possibility that Weiss could be around." Willow needed to be sure, so she stood up from the bench and looked towards a park. "That park over there seems vacant enough."

Summer didn't question why Willow didn't want Weiss to hear their conversation, so she picked up her bags and followed the white haired woman to the park. "Today's a nice day out anyways, so a park is nice enough."

Willow nodded, both women entering the park as she was ready to speak with her about something she's kept hidden for a long time. "Summer, what I tell you… You must never tell a soul, do you understand?"

The blacksmith was taken aback. To not tell a soul meant that Willow was trusting her with an extremely important secret. "Willow." She spoke softly before nodding, a serious look given to the white haired woman. "Yeah, you have my word."

The white haired woman took a breath, placing her hand on her chest as she gave the blacksmith a somber smile. "Weiss… Is not my daughter."

A wind blew passed both women, Summer slowly taking in what her friend had said, but it felt, unbelievable to her. "What?"

"I did not give birth to Weiss." Willow said sadly, but her somber smile remained. "I will always love her as my daughter though…"

Summer looked down at the grass, watching it flow from the wind as she thought about Weiss. "Snowflake… She really isn't yours by birth?" She asked when she lifted her head up, her voice quiet. When Willow shook her head, Summer rubbed the back of her head. "Wow… I… Wow, okay, so who is her birth mother if not you?"

"Her name was Lazuria Okami, and she was… My best friend for many years. I loved her like a sister, but the day Weiss was born, she was… At an impasse. If she kept Weiss, she would be risking her life." Willow explained, keeping her voice as quiet as she could, while still having Summer hear her.

"R-Risking her life? Willow, this isn't making any sense. Why would-?" Summer stopped when Willow grabbed her arm.

Willow tightened her grip as she bit her lip, not showing Summer the look on her face as she stared at the ground. "Summer, I can't say anymore than that… So… Now that you know, please don't think of me any differently." Tears began to fall. "Weiss… I love her so much, and I'm such a terrible mother for not telling her the truth…"

Summer instantly wrapped her friend up in an embrace, not letting her cry alone. "Don't you dare say that about yourself." Her voice was soft, comforting, but stern, not wanting Willow to talk down about herself.

"I've kept a seventeen year old lie going, Summer." Willow dug her face into the blacksmith's shoulder. "W-What if she learns of it one day… What then?"

"Then she'll tell you that no matter what, she loves you, and will always see you as her mother." Summer gently rubbed her back, thinking about Yang in that situation. "When Raven left, I made sure to raise her daughter like she was my own, and I love her so very much." Willow took a breath. Summer knew what it was like to raise a daughter she didn't birth. "Yang to this day still calls me mom to this day. And your snowflake will continue to when you tell her the truth."

Willow sniffled, wrapping her arms around Summer. "I'm… I'm sorry, Summer. That was rude of me t-to not assume you'd understand."

"Shhh, don't worry about that." Summer let out a small smile, patting Willow's back as she pulled away. "I'm happy that you told me about this… It tells me that you trust me, and that means more to me than you'd guess."

"S-Shut up, you dolt." Willow wiped some of her tears away, thinking about Lazuria. "I still don't know if I can tell her, Summer. Lazuria asked me to give her a happy life, and to not involve her in it."

Knowing that, Summer wasn't sure herself. "Willow, I can't tell you what to do there, but I can say you've given your daughter, yes, YOUR daughter, a happy life. Don't ever doubt that, okay?"

"O-Okay." Willow took a breath, taking a handkerchief out from her pocket as she wiped her eyes, Summer raising an eyebrow in return. "W-What?"

"It's always weird seeing you just casually pull out a napkin like that." Summer joked, hoping to lighten the mood.

Willow did in fact let out a small smile as she put her handkerchief away. "It's called a handkerchief, and I'll have you know that I like to be sanitary when I'm out and about." Her Atlesian side showed.

Summer chuckled and wrapped an arm around her. "Uh huh. Well hey, let's get back to Beacon so you don't have to be sanitary out here."

"Ugh, such a pest at times." Willow playfully rolled her eyes as she and the blacksmith got their bags up and made their way to the airships back to Beacon.

* * *

"You sure you wanna try it again, Weiss?" Ruby asked, watching her partner from about ten feet away. "Your aura isn't back to one hundred yet."

The white wolf nodded, focusing on her aura again. "I can't keep waiting till I'm back at one hundred percent, Ruby. If I want to get a good grip on my aura usage, situations out there on the battlefield won't have me being at one hundred percent aura."

"Well, I guess that makes sense, but don't overdo it. Kay?" Ruby made sure to keep an eye on her aura levels, watching as Weiss' was only at forty seven percent.

Weiss closed her eyes, the sounds of Blake and Yang sparring in the background was all she heard, but it didn't distract her from her concentration. She imagined herself in between pup size, and her normal size, trying to see if she could control that too. The strain was getting to her though, as Ruby saw her aura lowering by the second.

"S-Stop using your aura, Weiss." Ruby warned, but the white wolf said nothing and kept trying, so Ruby ran over and began to shake her. "Weiss, you-."

"Ruby stop!" The white wolf yelled, opening her eyes as she saw her partner back up a bit. "I'm trying to train, and yes, I know I was using a lot of aura, but this is just the first day of me training it."

"I-I was…" Ruby sighed, remembering Weiss' request to not worry so much about her. "Okay. I'm sorry. Um, you lost about four percent of your aura there…"

The white wolf acknowledged that and closed her eyes once more. " _I feel bad about yelling at her, but I need to do this. It's the only way I can have better control of my aura."_

The light shined on her body once more, taking a bit longer that time, but when the light faded, all Ruby heard was an annoyed shout. "Uh… Did you turn into a-?" She got her answer when she saw Weiss was as small as a puppy again.

"Yes, Ruby…" The pup sized white wolf groaned, hating how she was still unable to get a good grip on her 'semblance' control. "And I bet my aura is way too low to change… Back… Again…" She swayed a bit and gently fell on her side.

Ruby gasped and ran over, kneeling down by her pup sized wolf partner. "Weiss? Weiss, what's-." She was cut off when she heard light snoring coming from Weiss. "Oh. She fell asleep." Ruby looked at her scroll, seeing that Weiss was at one percent of her aura.

" _Ugh, I knew she would overdo it… But she does look really cute like this."_

Ruby lifted her up and laid the pup sized white wolf on her lap, smiling down as she rubbed her little head. "She is so gonna yell at me when she wakes up… Worth it."

* * *

 **Jacques is still an asshole, Leo is still a coward, Whitley is, complicated, and Summer now knows the truth. A decent amount of stuff happened here, so I hope the transitions in this chapter were okay. And of course I had to add a bit of pup sized Weiss into the mix.**

 **To JJ- Blake is truly seeing what it's like to simply trust people again, so yeah, one day that secret will be out too. And with the aura use training, I like the idea of Ruby monitoring it for Weiss, since it shows how much she wants to help her partner. With Blake and Yang, like before, we'll see where it goes.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 46. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 47.**


	47. A Needed Call

**Here's chapter 47, everyone.**

* * *

Weiss was blushing furiously, finding out that she had fallen asleep and Ruby had rested her on top of her lap was too embarrassing for her to lift her head up. "Oh come on, ice wolf. Don't be so embarrassed. Remember, I put you on my lap yesterday too." Yang reminded.

Ruby could only hear the annoyed groans coming from the pup sized white wolf, whose aura was actually at around seventy percent since she got a lot of rest. "Do you want me to let you down?"

"No." Weiss replied, not wanting to show her face.

Yang chuckled a bit, sitting down on Blake's bed since the team had gone back to the dorm. "Seriously, Weiss. You don't need to hide your face. Ruby's fallen asleep a bunch back in Patch, and I had to carry her to bed."

Weiss slowly lifted her head up, still looking peeved. "Ruby isn't the size of a puppy, you oaf… Ugh, why didn't you just wake me up?" She asked her partner.

"Your aura was at one percent, Weiss. You needed your rest if you were gonna change back." Ruby reminded, rubbing her little back. "Oh, your aura is pretty high now, so wanna change back now?"

"Yes… Can you all please leave the room so I can change?" Weiss requested, her team all nodding as Ruby slowly put her down on the floor.

"Just let us know when you're done, ice wolf." Yang called out as all three left the room, making sure to lock it for Weiss' privacy.

The white wolf sighed, closing her eyes as she focused on changing back into human. "First, back to normal size." The light shined on her body, as she felt it was an easy transition. Once she looked down, she saw she was normal size again, sighing in relief. "Step two." She closed her eyes once more, and after the light faded, she groaned as she looked down. "Ugh…"

Back to finally being human, Weiss got fully clothed and looked over at the wolf pendant on the table. She smiled, the pendant always able to put her in a good mood, though she did find it annoying that each time she changed forms, whether wolf, human, or the size of her wolf form, the pendant would fall off of her.

"Weiss? Almost done in there?" Ruby's voice called out from the other side of the door.

"Impatient, dolt." Weiss walked over and opened the door for her team. "Have you never gotten dressed properly before? It isn't a five minute process."

Ruby blinked twice. "It isn't?"

Weiss facepalmed, while the rest of the team walked in, all of them noticing the time. "Looks like we got a few more hours of daylight." Yang remarked, and Weiss looked upset with that, so she walked out of the room. "Ice wolf? Where ya going?"

"I'm going to see my mom." Weiss said nothing more as she messaged her mother from her scroll, hoping she'd reply back soon. "Come on."

Moments passed, and her scroll chimed in, showing that her mom was in the room Ozpin let Summer, her and Raven use for their visit. She quickly ran to it, wanting to see her mother before she was going to depart back to Atlas the next day.

* * *

"Are you absolutely sure you want to come with me to Atlas, Summer?" Willow was too nervous, asking questions she knew the answer to already, so all Summer did was playfully roll her eyes. "S-Sorry."

"Relax. Weiss is gonna be here any minute, and she shouldn't have to see her mother so nervous," The blacksmith patted her shoulder. "So chin up."

Willow took a second to get her bearings. Summer was right. She was about to go back home, meaning she wasn't going to see her daughter for some time, so she needed to savor what time she'd have.

Not a moment later, there was a knock at the door, so Summer smiled and walked over, answering it for Willow. "Look at what the wolf dragged in."

Weiss groaned a bit at the attempt at a joke. "Mrs. Rose, please… Don't try to make jokes."

"Hey, don't make them sound like they're bad." Summer chuckled and let her walk in.

Willow got up from her bed and met her daughter half way, hugging her as she held her chin up, Summer finding it funny that the white haired woman took it literally. "How was your training, sweetie?"

Weiss gave her a quick hug and pulled away, looking a little happier than before. "I still need to work more on it, but I was able to change my wolf size… Kind of." She sighed a bit.

Summer cut in. "Kind of?"

"Uh, well, at one point it worked when I thought about it, but then another time I just turned into that annoying pup size…" Weiss felt a little embarrassed, her cheeks gaining a light blush to them.

"Sweetie," Willow rubbed her shoulder. "You don't have to be embarrassed by that. Be proud that you're already able to change at all. It's been one day," She gave her an assuring smile.

"I-I guess." Weiss returned the smile, but then remembered why she came over. "Um, so you're still going back home tomorrow?"

Willow frowned, nodding to her. "I am, yes. I wish I can stay longer, but your father and I need to talk about a few things. Not only that, but you have your classes, snowflake."

Weiss leaned in, burying her face in Willow's shoulder. "Yeah…"

"Come on," Willow's tone was a bit more encouraging. "Don't be sad, sweetie. Be happy. You're at Beacon Academy on a team with two of your childhood friends, and you're making friends with your last teammate now. You don't need to see me every day to be happy."

The white haired teen sniffled and gently pulled away, feeling her mother rub the top of her head before placing her forehead on Weiss'. "I'm still really going to miss you."

"And just like I had said when you left for Beacon two weeks ago, so will I, my little snowflake." Willow closed her eyes, not letting a tear fall because she wanted her daughter to be strong for her departure.

Summer coughed to get their attention, both looking over as she waved. "Uh, just gonna let ya both know I'm gonna go and get some lunch. Oh, and snowflake… I'm seriously glad I got to know a bit more about you." She didn't mention the other part of what she learned. "Your semblance is impressive."

Weiss rubbed the back of her head, her white hair down at the moment as she couldn't deny that she enjoyed the praise. "Thank you, Mrs. Rose."

"Gotta say what I think is pretty awesome, snowflake." Summer remarked. "Oh, and you know, I never got to really ask yet. How's Myrtenaster been treating you?"

The mention of her weapon made the white haired teen beam up with joy. "I love it to this day, Mrs. Rose. I couldn't be more grateful to you for making it."

"Ah, you know me. I couldn't resist making a beauty like that." Summer grinned. "And now that I know why your mom asked for the second blade to be put in, that makes me even happier that I made it for you." Weiss bowed out of respect, the blacksmith recoiling a bit as she waved both hands for her to stop. "H-Hey, now, none of that, snowflake. Bowing is not my thing."

Weiss lifted her head back up. "I apologize, but I really do appreciate what you did for me."

"Don't mention it, snowflake." Summer's stomach grumbled a bit. "Ugh, looks like I need to hurry and get some food in me. Willow, you want anything?"

"No thank you." The white haired mother gently sat down on her bed, her daughter sitting right next to her. "Be sure not to overeat either, Summer. You don't want to end up too round around the belly now."

The blacksmith playfully rolled her eyes. "Haha, very funny. Later." She waved them off and closed the door behind her.

Weiss didn't say a word. All she did was lean her head on her mother's shoulder, happily taking the time she had with her. "Sweetie, you know I am proud of you, right?" Willow wrapped an arm around her daughter.

"I do… And, honestly, even though I've had some issues recently with my semblance, I'm happy for what it is." Weiss said, getting her mother to gently rub her arm in comfort. "I was scared of it the first time I used it, then during initiation, and again when Ruby and I sparred, but all in all, I think I understand that I shouldn't be afraid of what I have."

Willow felt guilty on the inside, but she could only nod in support. "That's right. You shouldn't, snowflake, because your semblance is a gift. One you have grown well with."

Weiss waited a few moments to respond. "What are you and father going to speak about when you get home?" Her voice wasn't the same when she talked about her semblance. And Willow knew her daughter wasn't going to accept a lie.

"Honestly, I can only assume to argue about not answering his calls." Willow answered, hearing her daughter sigh. "I'm sorry, snowflake."

"You don't have to be…" Weiss wasn't a fool. She knew her father wasn't a good husband or dad. "Do you think Whitley… Do you think he's okay?"

Willow lowered her head for a moment. "I believe he's a strong boy, and his father needs to see that instead of thinking of him as just his heir."

"Father… Does…" Weiss stopped for a moment. "Does father still love me?"

"Snowflake, of course he does." Willow couldn't bear the thought of saying no, or give her some form of a maybe. "He's just… Not good at showing it."

Weiss sniffled, not sure if her mother was telling her the truth or not. "How come you've been avoiding his calls?"

"My aura training. I've wanted to focus on that more than answer his calls, but don't worry. I'll speak to him and everything will be okay. Promise." Willow kissed the top of her head, hoping that would be enough to assure her daughter.

"I hope so, mom." Weiss took a breath. "I was thinking of calling Whitley… Apologize for our fight. I don't know. I can't just ignore what happened."

"Your brother wasn't right in that argument, sweetie. He shouldn't have-." Willow was cut off.

"I know what he shouldn't have done, but… The fact that he only told me that going to Beacon was too dangerous," Weiss shook her head a bit. "I don't know, maybe it means he just doesn't understand some things, and he's just worried."

Willow couldn't forget the argument her children had the day Weiss left for Beacon. "Even so, he should respect your choices. I've… I've been at fault for that too, and I only want you, your brother and sister to be happy with what you three want to do with your lives."

"And I am happy." Weiss gave her a somber smile, since she still thinking of Whitley. "But I have to at least try to make things right with him, even if I wasn't the one at fault."

"Snowflake," Willow hugged her daughter. "I don't know if I can be any more proud of you… And I promise, I'll speak with your brother when I get home tomorrow as well."

Weiss hugged her back for a moment. "Thank you, mom, but." She pulled away. "Maybe we can talk to him right now."

"Is that what you want?" Willow asked, needing to be sure.

"Yes. I don't want to wait any longer." Weiss said, getting her scroll out of the bag she kept on the back of her outfit. "I just hope he's home… Wait… I don't have his scroll number."

Willow got her scroll out and went through her contacts, shaking her head slightly. "I can't believe your father won't even allow him to contact you through his scroll still."

Weiss frowned in response and watched as her mom pressed her brother's name on the screen of the scroll. It only took a few moments, but Whitley answered. "Mother."

"Hello, honey." Willow brought up the video call button, waiting on him to accept. It took a moment, but her son appeared on the screen. "How have you been?"

Whitley looked around the background of where Willow was. "Mother, where are you? Father and I arrived home and you aren't here."

"I'm at Beacon right now, with your sister." Willow moved the scroll to show Weiss on the screen, Whitley surprised by that. "I'll be coming home tomorrow."

"Sister." Whitley greeted, saying nothing more.

Weiss didn't look happy or sad, she looked ready to speak. "Whitley, we need to talk, and honestly, I should have done this sooner."

"Maybe so, but father will want to know more importantly why mother is at your school." Whitley stated, earning a sigh from his sister. "You know it's not right to up and go to a different kingdom without informing father first."

Willow spoke up. "Honey, this is something your father and I can discuss. Right now your sister would like to speak with you." She handed Weiss the scroll.

Weiss knew what she wanted to say already. "Whitley, about what we talked about before I left. I want you to know that I still stand by what I'm doing, and I understand it makes you upset, but-."

"Enough. This is going to go nowhere, seeing as we clearly have differing opinions on your career path." Whitley remarked.

"That's not right to just shut me off without at least attempting to respect my choices, Whitley." Weiss said outright. "Please, I know how worried you are about what being a hunter is like, but I'm happy with this kind of life. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"Why can't you be happy and safe?!" Whitley let his emotions out, unable to keep them when speaking about the threats to his family's wellbeing.

"Being locked up in that manor, or being some behind the desk worker for the company isn't what I want, Whitley." She chose to not raise her voice.

Whitley shook his head in disagreement. "This is too dangerous for people you don't even know." He said, in reference to how Weiss would one day become a huntress to protect people.

"If no one was here to keep others safe from the Grimm, or even people themselves, then who will, Whitley? This isn't something I am forcing myself to do. I chose this life." Weiss explained.

The boy looked upset, almost like he wanted to cry because he couldn't get to his sister. "Is there anything else you even wanted to talk about or-."

"I still love you, brother." Weiss cut him off, surprising him as she let out a smile. "Even if you still don't respect my choices… I still love you very much, and I promise I'll visit home soon."

He was silent. Willow as well. She knew her son was hurting, and she wished she could be there to hold him close, but she wasn't. "You really… Want to risk your life with this?"

Weiss sighed. "I'm not risking my life, Whitley. I'm choosing to follow my dreams."

"And… Are you actually happy?" The boy asked, watching as his sister nodded. "When, when do you believe you'll visit?"

"I can't say yet, but I'll try on a weekend. Okay?" Weiss was hoping she got through to her brother in some way.

"Very well. Mother, I will see you tomorrow." Without saying goodbye, he ended the call.

Weiss handed her mother the scroll back, but she seemed content with how the call went. "Sweetie, are you okay?" Willow asked as she put her scroll on the bed.

"Yeah. I really am." Weiss leaned her head back on her mother's shoulder. "I can't wait to become a fully trained huntress." Her smile was all Willow needed to see.

* * *

 **Follow your dreams, Weiss. That's what Whitley needs to understand most. That and how his father is a jerk.**

 **To JJ- Glad to see I can still surprise you with a few things in this story. Whitley is getting to see more and more about some things, and with Jacques, well he has plans here and there. He's a manipulative man after all. And with Summer, yes, raising Yang, at that point, Yang does see her as her mother. Blood isn't the only way someone can be considered family, and with Weiss and Willow's case, they are definitely family.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 47. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 48.**


	48. A Date Interrupted

**Here's chapter 48, everyone.**

* * *

"I'll be back this weekend, little rose." Summer said as she ruffled her daughter's hair a bit, earning a pout from the younger girl. "That face, always against a bit of ruffling."

"Bleh." Ruby stuck her tongue out at her mom, but when she looked over to see Weiss hugging her mother, she walked over. "Do I get a goodbye hug too?" She asked Willow.

Willow chuckled lightly and nodded, pulling away from her daughter to give Ruby a hug next. "I'm really glad you and my snowflake ended up as partners." She pulled away and patted Ruby's shoulder. "Just don't get into any trouble, okay? I know you take after your mother, little rose."

Ruby rubbed the back of her head as she laughed. "No promises."

Weiss playfully rolled her eyes in response as she yelped, the older Rose wrapping her in a hug. "And I know you take after your mother, little snowflake, so that means you gotta look after my little rose, just like your mother would keep me from doing anything too stupid."

The white haired teen sighed, nodding to confirm she would. "Of course. It was good to see you again, Mrs. Rose."

Summer grumbled a bit, pulling away from the girl. "One of these days I'll get you to call me Summer, little snowflake."

"The day when you call me Weiss more often than little snowflake will be that day, Mrs. Rose." Weiss smirked, earning a sigh from the older woman.

"You got me there." Summer walked over to her blonde daughter. "And you, try not to burn the school down. Okay?"

Yang grinned and gave her mom a quick hug, pulling away a moment later. "Like, Ruby said, no promises. But I'll at least make sure to get a video of it to show dad."

Blake rolled her eyes as she slapped the back of Yang's head, earning a yelp from the blonde. "She won't be burning down the school on my watch, trust me."

Summer couldn't keep herself from laughing. "Both of my daughters have partners to keep them in check. Guess I have nothing to worry about after all."

The cat Faunus nodded, offering her hand to the older woman. Summer did speak to Yang at one point about how Blake wasn't the best at contact with people, so she chose to not rush a hug with her and shook her hand.

Willow knew more about Blake's own problems with her family name, so she offered her hand to the cat Faunus as well. "You have my thanks too, Blake. My daughter isn't just on a team with Ruby and Yang. You're there too."

Blake smiled and accepted the handshake. "I'll do my best."

Right as they finished their handshake, Yang threw her arm around Willow to give her a side hug. "Have a safe flight, Mrs. S!"

"Mrs. S?" Willow raised an eyebrow in confusion.

Yang shrugged. "Eh, felt like a good moment to try that one out. Not feelin it?"

"I would say no, Yang. I would really say no." Willow chuckled as she felt Yang pull away from the hug, looking defeated. "You can't win them all."

"Guess not, but hey, at least I tried." Yang grinned. "Seriously though, it was great see you again." She leaned over to whisper. "Don't worry about ice wolf. We'll help her with her semblance."

Willow silently thanked her, nodding to the blonde as she looked over to Summer. "Ready to go?"

The blacksmith thought about it for a moment. "Hmm… Yeah, I think we got everything settled here." She picked up her suitcase and smiled up at Beacon. "You four are gonna have a great time training here."

Ruby grinned happily. "We already are."

"Then I guess it's time we headed out to leave you to it." Summer watched as Willow grabbed her suitcase, both women walking to the airship as the team followed to see them off.

"Have a safe flight, mom." Weiss waved to her mother.

Willow didn't want to go, but she knew she had to, so she waved back. "Will do, snowflake." She sniffled a little, but once she and Summer got into the airship, she sat down and looked out on of the windows, seeing that the team wasn't leaving till the airship took off.

"You'll see her again soon, Willow." Summer noted as she took a seat next to her friend.

"I know," Willow let out a proud smile as she and Summer waved at them one last time from the window as the airship lifted off the ground, taking off to Atlas.

Weiss took a breath and turned to her partner. "Well, time to see what the rest of the day has in store for us."

Ruby nodded, but then she remembered something. "Oh, we should probably get to classes soon." She and the team ran back inside, getting ready for classes being last on their mind since they wanted to see the two parents off.

* * *

It was a short day of classes, not having certain ones since Glynda had called off combat class for the day. So it gave Ruby more time to remind Weiss of her partner day request. "So you're sure you don't mind this?"

Weiss rolled her eyes as she changed into her normal attire. "For the last time, no, Ruby. I already agreed that a partner day isn't a bad idea, so leave it at that and finish getting ready."

Ruby blushed a little, since she still felt like the partner day was more to her than just that. "O-Okay!" She quickly got her clothes ready and started changing out of her school uniform.

The white haired teen wondered why Ruby was so jumpy, but she chose not to question it as she looked in the mirror. " _Hmm… Hair down or ponytail… Today seems like a hair down day."_ She smiled to herself and moved away from the mirror, Ruby noticing she wasn't fixing her hair up.

"Aren't you gonna put your hair in a ponytail?" The team leader asked.

"I feel keeping it down today… It doesn't look bad, does it?" Weiss asked, blushing lightly.

"What? No! I think it's, uh, it's really pretty and-." Ruby shut herself up, looking away as she pretended to sneeze, earning an eyebrow raise from her partner, who had blushed a little harder from the compliment Ruby gave her.

"Ruby, did you just fake sneeze?" Weiss asked.

The team leader's eyes widened when that didn't work. "N-No, that was a real one! I just… Have really fake sounding sneezes is all…"

"Uh, okay?" Weiss turned back to her bed to get her bag. "Um… I guess I'll keep my hair down then." She let out a small smile, thinking about how Ruby said her long hair looked pretty.

"G-Great." Ruby responded, not looking over at her partner to avoid her seeing the blush on her face. "I'll try to hurry here."

Weiss was still confused on why Ruby was acting strange. "Don't feel the need to rush, you dolt." After securing her small bag on her back, the white haired teen sat on her bed and pulled her scroll out. "By the way, what did you want to do?"

"Uhhhhh, go with the flow?" Ruby answered.

"You are… Still, such a hassle." Weiss said with an unamused look as she and Ruby were both done getting ready ten minutes later.

Ruby stretched a bit and clapped her hands together. "Okay! Let's head on outside and see what we feel like doing. Sound good to you?"

"I suppose that's the best we can do for now." Weiss shrugged.

As they made their way outside, Weiss wondered if Blake and Yang would be doing the same. Having a team day, though probably not since it was Ruby who came up with the idea in the first place. "Maybe we can go to Vale?" Ruby suggested.

"Hmm, maybe. We've trained, sparred, and spent time out in the courtyard, so I guess Vale would be the next option." Weiss figured. "Do you even have lien for anything though?"

"Oh… I think I might've spent all the lien I got from my dad on dust." Ruby chuckled nervously, while Weiss sighed, pulling her wallet out from her bag.

"I don't have much on me either, so I doubt doing any shopping will be an option," She did see enough for something else though. "Actually, it looks like I have enough to get some lunch if you'd like."

Hearing that made it sound even more like a date to Ruby, so her blush appeared again. "Y-Yeah, that sounds great." Weiss rolled her eyes at her stutter, since she was still nervous about something she didn't know.

* * *

It didn't take long for the two to get to Vale, seeing as the School was close to the town via airship. "Where would you like to go for lunch?"

"Huh? Uh, it's your money. So shouldn't you be the one to pick?" Ruby assumed.

"Dolt. I'm offering to let you pick, so don't look a gift horse in the mouth." Weiss said as the two were walking down the block.

Ruby grinned. "Don't you mean a gift wolf?"

Weiss groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose as she shook her head. "I swear, you really are just like your mother." Ruby giggled in response, and Weiss flicked her forehead, earning a yelp in return. "Dork."

"Wolfy." Ruby stuck her tongue out at her partner.

Even though she was a bit of a pest, Weiss couldn't deny that she enjoyed spending time with Ruby. It was like she didn't have any worries in her mind. Nothing could bother her at that point, and when the two found a burger place, Ruby had her pleading eyes out. "Ugh, I did say you can choose… Just didn't think you'd pick a place like this."

"Come on, Weiss!" Ruby whined. "You gotta try new things."

"Excuse you, but I have eaten a burger before, you dunce." Weiss crossed her arms, offended by Ruby insinuating that she never ate food like that.

"Well yeah, homemade ones, but I bet you never went into a place like this." Ruby took her partner's hand and led her inside, seeing a bunch of people already in line.

Weiss sighed, smelling the fries in the back being made, while she looked up at the food menu. "Do they at least have salads?"

"Yup." Ruby smiled as she licked her lips, deciding on what she wanted. "Ooh, I want a chicken wrap and one burger with a small soda. You?"

"Uh… Give me a second." Weiss examined the menu a bit, wondering what she could get that wasn't too greasy for her taste. "I suppose a caesar salad and a small diet soda."

"Weiiiissss, you need more than that. How about I get us both some fries to share?" Ruby suggested.

The white haired teen didn't feel like arguing in front of people, so she conceded. "Fine, but don't try to make me take a bite of your burger. I refuse."

"Deal." Ruby took what she could get.

After getting their food, the two partners found a table to sit at, Weiss looking at her food with uncertainty. "Are you sure this stuff is safe to eat?"

Ruby playfully rolled her eyes. "Weiss, relax. It's food, so just eat it and take in the delicious taste." She said while taking a bite of her chicken wrap.

Weiss sighed and grabbed the plastic spork they were given for her salad. "Alright, alright." She began eating her salad, finding it not as good as Klein's food, but still good enough to continue eating. "Hmm, not bad."

"Told ya." Ruby grinned and resumed eating her wrap.

The white haired teen couldn't help but smile at how Ruby looked. The joy in her face showed that she liked introducing Weiss to something new. "I suppose a few fries wouldn't hurt too." She reached over to grab one, but Ruby stopped her.

"Let me." Ruby grabbed a fry and held it out to her partner, who simply blushed in response.

"W-What are you doing?" Weiss asked.

Ruby's eyes widened when she realized what she was trying to do, so she yelped and dropped the fry on their tray. "S-Sorry… I was… Uh, just trying to… Um-."

"You were trying to feed me the french fry…" Weiss blushed harder since that was the kind of things couples would usually do. All the scythe wielder could do was hide her head down. Weiss sighed as she reached over and tapped the top of her head, getting Ruby to lift her head up. "If you really want to… I guess it wouldn't hurt… Just make it quick so no one sees."

"R-Really?" Ruby blushed a bit harder, getting an unamused look from Weiss that said, 'don't waste time asking questions'. "O-Okay." She quickly got the fry she dropped on the tray and lifted it up to her partner, who parted her lips and ate the french fry.

Weiss instantly looked around, hoping no one had seen what they had done. "T-Thank you…"

"Y-You're welcome." The two were silent for a bit, but a scream in the distance made everyone in the burger place gasp.

Ruby and Weiss instantly got up, their huntress instincts kicking in whenever there was a sign of danger, so they ran outside, not worrying about the remaining food they had. They looked back and forth, finding the source of the scream was a woman calling out for help when a few Faunus were outside a dust shop with bats and crowbars.

"Where is the police at?" Weiss asked as they ran over, both watching as a man holding a pistol was aiming at the group of Faunus. "R-Ruby, what do we do?"

The team leader and her partner reached the engagement, both staying a good thirty feet away with some other bystanders. "I-I don't know." They didn't have their weapons on them, so when they looked over at the woman who had screamed earlier, they started asking questions.

"All I know is those Faunus just showed up in front of this dust shop with bats and crowbars." A civilian explained to the two girls.

Weiss took note of the dust shop and her eyes widened. The snowflake, her family's symbol. She had no questions at that point. The white haired teen knew exactly why there were Faunus there with weapons.

"Keep yourselves back, or I will shoot!" The store owner warned, his hand slightly shaking since he didn't want to have to shoot anyone.

The Faunus didn't back down, and one of them angrily took a step forward, he shot the ground in front of him, getting the Faunus to take a step back. "You can't get us all with that pistol!" A tiger Faunus growled, while Weiss and Ruby looked nervous.

"Ruby… We have to stop this." Weiss whispered.

"I-I know, but I don't have Crescent Rose." Ruby reminded, feeling like she was useless.

"Your semblance, you dolt. You can still do a lot… And so can I." Weiss grabbed her arm and ran to the alleyway. "I don't like it, and I'll definitely have to have these washed when we get back, but I'm going to leave my clothes here to use my semblance."

"W-Wait, but I don't know about this, Weiss. This looks like something the police should be dealing with." Ruby noted.

Weiss looked over, hearing another gunshot that the store owner fired to warn the Faunus. "There's no time, Ruby, and I know you can help with your semblance too."

The faith her partner had in her made the team leader blush, but she took a breath and nodded. "Okay, let's do this, partner." Ruby smirked, showing Weiss she was ready.

* * *

 **Even when it's not Grimm, they gotta do what they can to calm a situation like this down. It's what they want to do with their lives after all.**

 **To JJ- Puppy Weiss will always be great and I'll make it a point to write it in whenever it feels right. As for Willow and Weiss themselves and their family problems, well don't forget that Weiss technically has two families. So that's even more to deal with. And I'm glad you like how I'm writing Whitley. I didn't want a Jacques V2 and this felt like a good approach.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 48. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 49.**


	49. That Single Moment

**Here's chapter 49, everyone.**

* * *

"Before I use my semblance, I was thinking about it. Maybe I shouldn't say anything." Weiss suggested, earning an odd look from her partner. "These people are freaking out about this whole… Riot? I don't know what to call it, but a talking wolf may freak them out even more so."

"Weiss, this is your semblance. People shouldn't-." Before she could finish, the white haired teen held her hand up.

"That's right. They shouldn't, but they might, so I'll try to scare off the rioters, and you do what you can to get the owner and, I think his wife back in the store. Okay?" Weiss explained.

Ruby took a breath and nodded. "I'll be right outside after I get them in."

"Good." Weiss closed her eyes and began to use her 'semblance'. The light encompassed her body as usual and she was back to her wolf form. "Just hide my clothes somewhere no one will take them."

"Right, but before I do that," Ruby quickly got Weiss' necklace from the pile and tied it around her neck. "Now we can get this started."

Weiss blushed from that, but wasted no more time and ran over to the rioters, getting in between them and the dust shop owner, growling at them. "What the hell?! A wolf?!"

The dust shop owner, his wife, and the other civilians in the area were just as shocked to see a white wolf in Vale. "H-Honey, why is there a wolf here?" The store owner's wife asked, looking terrified.

"I-I don't know, but it looks like it's on our side." His hand was still shaking, the gun still loaded with a few rounds.

In a flash, both he and his wife were suddenly whisked away inside of the store, all that was seen where they stood were rose petals. "The hell did they go?!" One of the Faunus rioters exclaimed, while Weiss smirked.

The white wolf growled again at the rioters, a few taking steps back from her, since they didn't want to try fighting a wolf. " _I'm lucky none of them seem to have had combat training."_

"What are ya all afraid of. It's just a single wolf!" One of the Faunus yelled, raising his bat up to swing at Weiss, but she jumped back, dodging the swing as she thought about her fight with the Strom.

Only for a second did she felt her whole body tense up, but she refused to acknowledge that day, shaking her head as she stood her ground in front of the dust shop.

All of a sudden, Ruby appeared right next to her partner, rose petals scattering around as the rioters gasped in shock. "C-Crap, this kid has one of those power things." Some people were ignorant to what aura and semblances were, so to see Ruby appear out of nowhere was shocking.

"It's called a semblance." Ruby said defiantly. "Now why are you people trying to attack this dust shop?" Her glare was surprising to Weiss.

"You're defending that piece of shit?! Look at the sign!" One of the rioters yelled, pointing at the dust shop.

Weiss got in front of Ruby to make sure they didn't try to attack her while she was checking the sign. Ruby turned to look at it, her eyes widened when she saw it said, 'We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone. "Oh…" The implications weren't looking good for the dust shop owner's case.

"Yeah, oh is right. You gonna defend that piece of shit now?" The tiger Faunus growled.

Ruby frowned, sighing as she regained her defiant expression. "I don't like it, and none of you should either, but to try and attack him isn't the way."

"And what is the way if not this?!" A rioter called out.

"Report this. Have it change ownership to someone who actually shows compassion… Don't resort to the ways of the White Fang." Weiss' voice was heard.

Some of the rioters gasped in shock, not expecting a wolf to speak. "D-Did that-."

"Before you ask, I'm not a wolf. I'm a human that has a semblance. It's not hard to imagine, but please, don't let your anger get to you. That man isn't worth it." Weiss tried to reason.

One of the more timid rioters, who was dragged into their problem spoke up. "W-What if people never listen to our reports? What then?"

"Then keep trying." Ruby responded, having the same ideology as her partner. "Please… Just drop your weapons and report this instead. You don't need to resort to violence here."

A few of the rioters looked down in shame, while some still remained defiant, but only for a few moments as they dropped their weapons, not wanting to take it any further. "Fine." One of them said, walking off as Ruby and Weiss sighed.

There were only about fifteen people in that small riot, but as they began to leave, the dust shop owner walked out, shaken up by what had happened. "T-Thank you for driving them away…"

Ruby clenched her fist and turned to face him. "Don't try thanking either of us. You're honestly worse than they are."

"W-What?" The dust shop owner was taken aback, and Ruby simply pointed at the sign on his front door. "O-Oh… I… Please, you have to understand, I tried telling them that I wasn't the one to put that there."

"It's your store, so who else would?" Ruby questioned as she crossed her arms.

Weiss stared up at the logo on the dust shop, her ears flattening against her head as she had a bad feeling.

The dust shop owner sighed. "It's not my dust shop exactly. I only run it, and the company that owns it had it there. Look, I'm not trying to make a fake excuse. It's true."

"Then tell your boss, or whoever's in charge of putting it there that you don't want it plastered on the front door." Ruby countered. Weiss whimpered, getting Ruby's attention. "What's wron-?"

Before she could finish her sentence, Weiss ran back to the alleyway, getting Ruby to chase after her. The dust shop owner shook his head, unable to cope with what just happened, so he walked back inside.

"W-Weiss, why are you running?" Ruby asked, but stopped when the white wolf got to the alleyway. "Weiss?"

"Ruby, just… Just get my clothes, please." Weiss requested.

The rose girl was concerned, but she decided to wait till Weiss was back to being human to ask her. After getting her clothes and making sure she could change back with no one seeing her, Weiss used her 'semblance' and got dressed again.

"Weiss, what's wrong? Why did you run off like that?" Ruby asked, hoping she wouldn't try to hide anything from her.

"Look at the dust shop." Weiss said, so Ruby looked over, not getting what she wanted her to see. "The symbol on the top of it." As she saw it, Ruby bit her lip. "That's why the sign is there… Because of my father."

"It's… Maybe it's-." Ruby was cut off.

"I know that he's the reason, Ruby. Look, let's just go. I don't want to be around here any longer than we need to be." Weiss spoke in a somber tone.

Ruby frowned, wishing that her partner wasn't feeling depressed, so she quickly grabbed her hand. "We still have our partner day to look forward to." She tried her best to give her an encouraging smile.

"R-Right. Just don't use your semblance to drag me around Vale, you dolt." Weiss smiled back.

Glad to see she was at least smiling, Ruby nodded and the two made their way out of the alleyway, doing their best to avoid the dust shop as police cars finally showed up. "Sheesh, they're slow." Ruby commented, earning a slight chuckle from her partner.

* * *

Weiss sighed, taking a moment to enjoy the breeze of Vale's fresh air. "I still do miss the colder breeze Atlas has to offer, but this still works well for me." She and Ruby were in the same park Willow and Summer had gone to.

"You'll have to take me there some time. I haven't felt that breeze for a few years." Ruby remarked, happily sitting next to her partner on a bench they found.

"Hmm, yes I think you'll find the colder breeze to be quite enjoyable." Weiss noted.

"Yeah… Um, about the dust shop-." Before she could continue, Weiss cut her off.

"It's fine. I can talk about it without getting upset." Weiss assured. "Honestly, I'm not that surprised. My father is… Well, him. A man who has made a name for himself because of my family's company. I don't know what makes him the way he is, but I can't exactly take responsibility for his actions either."

"Well you don't have to." Ruby agreed.

Weiss chuckled. "I remember you saying that when I spoke with you about Blake." She leaned over and rested her head on Ruby's shoulder, causing her partner to blush. "Sometimes I think about my future if I were to try taking over the dust company when my father can't… To make it better than it is now."

"But your dream is to be a huntress." Ruby reminded, hoping her friend wouldn't abandon her dream.

"I'm not saying I'd drop everything and become the president of the company, you dunce. I said I only thought about it, and… I don't know. I just… I worry that my father will cross a line one day and make it so our family name is unredeemable." Weiss expressed her concern.

"No way! That will never happen because people will look up to your name because you'll become an amazing huntress!" Ruby stated, startling her partner a bit. "I'm sorry for yelling, but it's true. You'll make a name for yourself on your own, Weiss."

Weiss' heart fluttered a little, her partner's words reaching her well. "You really think so?"

"I know so, silly." Ruby wrapped an arm around her. "Me, you, Blake, Yang. We're Team RWBY, and that means we're all gonna grow up to make names for ourselves for people to look up to. Not just because we'll be awesome, but because we'll keep people safe."

It was exactly how she sounded when she was a kid. Weiss truly wanted people to feel safe when they thought about her. "Ruby… I've… Never told you this, but… I kinda wanna have a title when I become a huntress."

Ruby grinned. "You gotta tell me what it is."

"Ugh… Promise not to laugh?" When Ruby nodded, Weiss' cheeks tinted red a bit. "I wanted to be called… The Shining Knight…" She closed her eyes, waiting for the laughter, but it never came, so she opened her eyes back to see Ruby smiling at her. "W-What?"

"Weiss, that sounds like a great title. Why would I ever laugh at that?" Ruby asked sincerely.

"I-I just thought it was too kiddy… I came up with that years ago." Weiss mumbled.

Ruby giggled a little, but not because of the title, but because of how embarrassed her partner was getting. "Well I still think it's a great title to have as a huntress."

"Ugh, you dork." Weiss joined in on the giggling, both girls smiling as they shared their compassion for becoming huntresses.

"I might need to come up with a title of my own too now." Ruby grinned. "Ooh, maybe the blossom huntress, or the scarlet sniper!"

Weiss playfully rolled her eyes. "I think any name will suit you well, Ruby Rose."

"Hehe. Thanks, Wolfy." Ruby's use of her nickname made the white haired teen blush again. "I'm looking forward to when we both become huntresses, Weiss… If there's anyone in the world who'd I wanna be fighting monsters with, it's you."

Those words. It was wonderful to hear, and Weiss almost teared up hearing them, so she scooted over, thinking about her future as a huntress, fighting alongside Ruby. "I… I feel the same way."

"Y-Yeah." Ruby noticed Weiss was getting closer, so she scooted over as well, both smiling as they had images of themselves as huntresses, but after a few moments, they realized how close they got.

It didn't stop them though, as Ruby was crushing on her partner for a couple of years, while Weiss always felt something more with Ruby than anyone else. They both leaned in and gently pressed their lips together, not caring who saw them.

" _Ruby…"_

" _Weiss…"_

Both thought of each other, nothing else coming to mind. Not even questioning what they had just done. They held their lips together for a couple of more seconds, both pulling away after, blushing heavily as they looked away from each other.

Ruby rubbed the back of her head, still looking to her right. "S-So… Uh… Names for us… Y'know… Huntress names… Heh, still a little… Um, unsure about what mine would be…" She chuckled nervously.

Weiss was at a loss for words for a few moments. She didn't think that her partner day with Ruby would have led to that, not that she regretted it. Just surprised was all. "Y-You'll think of something… Should we… Get back to the school?"

"If… If you want." Ruby looked a little down about that.

Hearing it in her voice, Weiss took a breath and turned back around, but as she did, Ruby did so as well, both facing each other. Their blushes evident to the other. "R-Ruby… Maybe… We can stay here a bit longer?"

Ruby nodded sheepishly. "Y-Yeah. I think that would be… Um, nice."

The two dorks leaned in again, but not to kiss that time. Their foreheads pressed against each other softly, Ruby knowing Weiss was able to calm down when she did that. They reached for each other's hands and folded them together, smiling as they closed their eyes and took in the breeze that blew passed them.

* * *

 **It only took 49 chapters, but there you go. It finally happened and now I can start working on the other plot points with the white rose couple being, well, a couple. Technically it's just a kiss, but let's be real, I ain't gonna tease you guys and say that's all there is to it, seeing as chapter 50 is the official start for them.**

 **To JJ- Oh trust me, I know. Weiss has a family, even if not by blood. Because blood is not the defining factor that makes a family, and Willow has proven that. I really am glad I got Summer to work at Beacon to have her in at times, and yeah, white rose was set up, and it's here.**

 **To the guest on chapter 10- Not sure if you'll see this, but I have not heard that song, but it sounds interesting. In the end, the idea of the story began very differently, but I'll continue to tell it the way I'm enjoying it, so we'll see where the story takes itself.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 49. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 50.**


	50. Blooming

**Just wanted to say thank you to those who have stuck with this story for this long. Hitting the 50 mark on chapters is a good feeling, and I've now been able to do it twice, since The Snow Fox's Struggle was the only other story at the moment where I hit that milestone. So while I don't know what the future of my writing here will be like from my recent issues on motivation in the RWBY world, I can at least say this again. Thank you for being supportive of my work, whether it was reading this story, following, favoriting, or reviewing. I appreciate all of it.**

 **Here's chapter 50, everyone.**

* * *

"Weiss." Ruby gently nudged her partner a bit, both of them on the airship back to Beacon, not mentioning what they had done in the park. "Weiss, we're almost back to Beacon."

"Hmm." The white haired teen hummed, blushing a bit as she thought about how they had kissed.

Ruby frowned in response. Weiss, after they had pulled away from each other in the park hadn't talked much, even though she was happy with the kiss. "Do you… Not wanna talk about it?"

Weiss sighed. "I don't know, Ruby… It happened, and… No, I don't regret it, but this isn't something I know well. We just… We, y'know."

With a nod, Ruby couldn't deny what they did. "We kissed, Weiss… It was unexpected, but I don't want you to just avoid talking to me about it either."

"I'm not avoiding you… I'm just processing it is all." Weiss explained, her own thoughts betraying her as she didn't want Ruby to feel like she didn't enjoy it. "Just, I never looked at girls in that way… It's… New to me."

"It's not as new for me to be honest with you." Ruby blushed, having had a crush on her partner for a couple of years. "I've, uh, known I've liked you for awhile."

Weiss was surprised to hear that, even turning in her seat to face Ruby. "Y-You have? But… Why me?"

"What, did you think I wouldn't like the girl who's been my closest friend for years?" Ruby gave her a small smile, both girls still blushing. "When I found out I was going to be attending Beacon two whole years early… You don't know how happy I was because it meant I would be able to see you every day."

"Ruby… I never knew you felt this way." Weiss replied, her voice softer after learning the truth.

"Well, I mean, Yang would tell me I was being obvious sometimes, but I can't really say. I'm just, I don't know. I guess I'm happy to be able to tell you." Ruby admitted.

Weiss thought about the kiss again, how she felt it wasn't forced, how it was something that she did because she wanted to, and how it was with Ruby. "I'm… Happy you told me too." She smiled back as she leaned in and kissed Ruby's cheek, making the younger girl yelp in surprise. "What? Didn't expect a second kiss?"

When Ruby's saw the slight smirk on Weiss' face, she couldn't help but playfully shove her partner a bit. "Ugh, you are so mean, Wolfy!"

Weiss couldn't hold back the laughter when she heard her partner whining, earning a surprised look from Ruby, who quickly looked happy with how Weiss was able to laugh. "I'm not mean. I'm just able to get you flustered easily."

"Says you. I'm not flustered. That was just a sneak attack." Ruby countered. "I can so get you back for that one and you know it."

"Yes, you could…" Weiss took a second to really take in what she and Ruby were to each other. "Ruby, about what I said… I'm not trying to say I don't want this."

"I know, Weiss. I know." Ruby placed her hand over Weiss', smiling to show her that she wasn't upset about what she had said before. "You still kissed me though." She grinned.

Weiss blushed and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah…" She sighed a bit. "I've only ever had boys come up to me and ask me out because of my last name, so be grateful, Ruby Rose."

Ruby snorted, finding it hilarious how Weiss phrased that. "I'm honored that the one and only Weiss Schnee has graced me with a kiss." She said in a mocked Atlas tone.

"Ugh, dork." Weiss crossed her arms.

"Wolfy." Ruby stuck her tongue out.

Weiss couldn't deny how cute she was when doing that. "I'm sorry I've been quiet for awhile, Ruby."

"It's okay. You're talking to me now, and that's what matters." Ruby said, leaning her head on Weiss' shoulder, feeling her partner tense up a bit, so she pulled back. "S-Sorry. Didn't think that wasn't okay."

"I-I didn't say it was unwelcomed, you dolt. I was just a bit startled." Weiss admitted, so in response, Ruby carefully leaned her head on her partner's shoulder again, that time Weiss didn't tense up. "Do you trust me?"

The question was a surprise. "Of course I do, Weiss. Why do you feel like you have to ask me that?"

"It wasn't a joke when I said I'm new to… This. Relationships." Weiss blushed in embarrassment, while Ruby started snickering. "Ruby! I'm being serious!"

Her little outburst was too cute for Ruby to get startled by. "It's just funny because you're the one being a dork now, Wolfy." She snuggled up on her partner, hoping they'd get to Beacon soon. "I'll always trust you, Weiss."

"I just don't want to mess this up…" Weiss admitted softly, looking away and Ruby took note of that.

Ruby pulled herself away for a moment and tapped Weiss' arm to get her attention. Once the white haired teen turned to face her, Ruby leaned in and kissed her cheek, earning a quiet yelp from her partner. "Heh, gotcha back."

"S-Stop that." Weiss was flustered, almost wanting to hide her face, but Ruby leaned in, pressing her forehead on Weiss' again. "R-Ruby?"

"Weiss, I'm not scared or nervous about this. About… You. I trust you even with my life, silly." She closed her eyes. "Call me lame, but you matter a lot to me, and I know you'd never do anything to hurt me."

The white haired teen sniffled, not letting herself cry there.

"So, whatever you choose, I promise I won't cry." Ruby assured.

Weiss knew what she was talking about. To pursue a relationship with her, or to pretend it didn't happen. In the end, Weiss knew she could never pretend it didn't happen. "I want… I want to be happy, and with you I am," She smiled. "So, if you can put up with a Schnee-."

Ruby silenced her with a kiss. They both stayed like that for a few moments, Ruby pulling away and poking her on the forehead. "You put up with me, and I'm a hassle, so I can handle a Schnee any day."

The white haired teen rubbed her forehead, her smile not fading. "I'll hold you to that, Ruby Rose."

* * *

"Raven, I'll be honest, the jobs we do are normally not this annoying." Qrow stated, sighing as he and his sister were walking down the streets of Atlas. "We still have no idea where to start, or even info on these guys besides what she told us."

"What? Are you starting to finally feel your age catching up to you to complain this much?" Raven questioning, earning an eye roll from her twin brother. "She's asked us for help, and we accepted. Besides, you're the one who jumped on board when money was mentioned."

"Hey, I didn't say we shouldn't help, and I don't care about the money… That much. But you didn't see what she looked like when she contacted me." Qrow countered, remembering how desperate Lazuria sounded when they first met after being contacted.

"I know enough that desperation is all she has left, but if you think this is a pity party-." Before she could continue, her brother held his arm out to keep her from walking forward.

Qrow groaned. "Look, whatever you feel like saying, drop it. I only said that this isn't gonna be easy, not impossible. And I wasn't saying you were doing this out of pity."

Raven pushed his arm away to keep walking. "This is a lot bigger than just one woman being targeted. Clearly there are others like her, and if some group of people are killing them, then it gives us more reason to deal with these so called Relentless."

"Huh." Qrow dug his hands in his pockets as they walked. "Tell me something. What's making you say that? You know, that we have more of a reason to deal with em, just because they're targeting a small group of… Shifters?"

"Shifters?" Raven repeated, confused a bit.

"Figured we have some kinda code name for what that woman is." Qrow shrugged. "Anyways, back to what I asked. If this isn't pity like you said, why do you care so much?"

Raven sighed. "Willow Schnee is… An idiot, but even so, I have respect for that woman. To learn so much in such little time about her daughter, being…" She lowered her voice. "Someone else's," She took a moment. "Let's just say I'm not about to ignore this, for Willow's sake, and her daughter's."

"Heh, you know, I think you're going soft." Qrow smirked, earning a death glare from his twin, so he laughed to himself. "Eh, relax, will ya. Nothing wrong with helping out a friend."

"I never said that woman and I are friends." Raven said in reference to Lazuria.

"Wasn't talking about the Shifter." Qrow simply replied, Raven knowing exactly who he was talking about then.

"She's not my friend either, you moron." Raven defiantly stated.

Qrow mockingly rolled his eyes, shrugging a bit. "Uh huh. Tell yourself whatever you wanna hear." He knew she wanted to punch him, but he cut her off from speaking. "Before we get into a squabble, do you at least have any ideas on where to start?"

The black haired huntress crossed her arms and started thinking of options. "Reverse tracking isn't an option right now since she's just recently dealt with one, and we probably won't be able to run into one so simply." She said in a quiet tone, not wanting others they pass by on the streets to hear. "Maybe if she shows us where the last one she dealt with is."

"You mean the corpse?" Qrow asked, looking a little unsure about that. "I don't know. These guys may not be good people, but dealing in corpses."

Raven rolled her eyes. "They might have had something on them that we can use to track the rest down, moron. Besides, when were you one to care so much about that kind of thing?"

Qrow shrugged again. "I ain't saying I care much. Just pointing it out is all."

"Whatever. On a job like this, we can't let the thought of a moral choice getting in the way. Get it done is all we need to care about here." Raven pointed out.

"You say that like I'm a child." Qrow fired back. "I'm not an idiot, Raven. I get how serious this is if they're hunting people down."

Raven nodded, both understanding what their mission was. "Then let's stop arguing about this and get her to show us where that last person she dealt with is. If she can even remember."

Qrow sighed. "Maybe give her a bit of a cooldown period. Woman's been through seventeen years of this hell. A day of relaxing wouldn't hurt."

"Getting this done faster will give her years of relaxing over a day." Raven stated. "Besides, Summer should be here today. So she may be able to help us too."

"What's she here for?" Qrow asked.

"Willow's flying back in to Atlas today," Raven looked in the direction of where Willow's home would be. "Gonna have a chat with dear old President Schnee."

"Ha. President Gele more like it." Qrow grumbled. "Nicholas should've never trusted him with that company. But now it makes sense why Summer is gonna be there."

Raven shook her head. "I don't have time to think more about that. We have a job to do, Qrow. So let's get back to her on this." The black haired huntress started to head towards where Lazuria told them she'd be in case they needed to speak with her.

Qrow was about to try and convince her to leave the woman be for the day, but he knew his sister was a hardass and wouldn't listen, so he conceded and followed her.

* * *

Willow sighed to herself when the airship she and Summer were on landed. A moment passed, but as she got up from her seat, she felt her friend grab her arm, so she looked down to see her supporting smile. "He's an ass, but you got this."

The white haired woman chuckled lightly, giving her a somber smile in return. "I hope you're not overestimating me here, Summer." The blacksmith got up with her, both walking to the exit of the airship.

Atlas' cold air rushed passed the two women, Willow used to it already, taking it in as she knew the challenge in talking with her husband was what she needed to face. "Sheesh, how do you deal with the cold here so much?"

Willow rolled her eyes. "You've set up shop here before, you dolt. The cold air is nothing."

"To you, maybe! I'm from Patch, woman!" Summer whined as she was starting to shiver a bit. "I should find my temp shop out here and hide in the smelting pot."

"You are overly dramatic for a woman your age." Willow commented as the two walked with their suitcases in hand.

"I'm serious! This place gets cold… And besides, you're probably inside your manor more than outside, so you can't say it's super easy to deal with." Summer countered.

Willow sighed. "Clearly since you didn't know about Weiss' semblance, I was actually outside a lot more than you'd think, watching her train for one, and remember that she enjoys the fresh air, so I'm not about to sit inside while my daughter was out enjoying the breeze when she was younger."

Summer grumbled since she got her there. "Eh, well than that just means you've gotten way more practice with this than me."

"Uh huh." Willow smiled when she saw the car she knew all too well. "Enough whining. Our ride is here." She walked over to the car, watching as Klein stepped out of the front driver door. "Klein, thank you for coming to bring us."

"Why of course, Ma'am. I wouldn't say no to such a request." He politely replied, looking over at Summer. "Ah, Mrs. Rose. And how have you been? Is your smithing business still doing well in Patch?"

"Hey, Klein." The two were on good speaking terms, since years ago Willow introduced them to each other. "Yeah, back home's doing well, and I got a job over at Beacon too on the weekends, so I get to see my little rose, and Willow's snowflake."

Klein nodded. "Congratulations on the job, Mrs. Rose. And thank you for being here for Mrs. Schnee." His eyes turned red for a moment. "That whiny man in the manor has gotten on my nerves recently, and I know you'd be good at kicking him off of his high horse."

Summer laughed, knowing about the butler's personality disorder, which she equated to being possibly his semblance, while Willow simply chuckled. The butler opened the doors for them both, getting their suitcases in the trunk after. "You always know what to say to make me laugh, Klein." Summer remarked as she scooted over in the backseat.

Willow was in the front seat at the moment, thinking about what she would say to Jacques when they got there. Overall, she knew one thing would happen, him 'raising his voice' as he called it, but with her children in mind, she refused to let him intimidate her.

* * *

 **While they did kiss last chapter, this is the chapter where White Rose is now official. So yay for getting that part done, since I've been working on it for some time, and now I can get to work on the major plot of this story.**

 **To JJ- Yup. White Rose is finally here, so I'm glad you're happy with how it happened. And the rioters situation is definitely more of a moment for Weiss than anyone else, since she knows about her dad's BS. The armor is still up in the air, since it's hard to think of her having to put it on each time she changes.**

 **To GoldElite245- Thanks for pointing that out. I kept going back and forth on who would be the one to suggest her not talking, and I guess I messed up on that. So again, thanks. And yes, White Rose has set sail for more to deal with in this story.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 50. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 51.**


	51. Approval

**Here's chapter 51, everyone.**

* * *

"Should we… Uh, tell the others?" Ruby asked, both her and Weiss having gotten back to Beacon already and sitting outside on their favorite spot under the tree. "I mean Blake and Yang, at least them first."

Weiss sighed happily at a cool breeze that flew passed them, and she simply nodded. "I see no reason to keep this from there." She looked over at Ruby's scroll, which was on the grass next to her. "Could you check my aura levels?"

"Heh." Ruby grinned. "I thought you said to not get used to you being in wolf form out here." She said as she grabbed her scroll off the ground.

"Well now that you remind me, I suppose I won't use my semblance after all." Weiss countered, knowing that would get Ruby to react.

"W-Wait, I was just joking!" Ruby flailed her arms around, while Weiss playfully nudged her.

"Relax, you dork. It's a lot easier to mess with you than I thought." Weiss smirked, while Ruby blushed in embarrassment at being tricked so easily.

"Bleh." She stuck her tongue out at her partner, but after a second she checked Weiss' aura levels. "Looks like you're at around… Fifty seven. I guess using it in town drained a good bit."

"Fifty seven? Ugh, well I should be good to use it once, then rest a bit to use it again before we get back to bed." Weiss stated. "Alright, same as usual." The white haired teen used her semblance and left her clothes on the side as she instantly laid down in her wolf form.

Ruby grabbed the clothes and neatly put them in a pile as she laid down next to her partner, resting her head on her soft fur. "I'll never get tired of this, Wolfy."

"Don't push it." Weiss growled.

The rose girl chuckled nervously, not wanting to get bitten on her hand like Yang had the other day, though that was when Weiss was in her pup size. "S-Sorry."

"Dork." Weiss muttered and closed her eyes as she laid her head on the grass. "Oh, and… About today, when we speak with Blake and Yang, I'd rather we not speak about the dust shop incident."

Ruby knew Weiss was still upset about that, so she rubbed her fur a bit. "I won't bring it up. Promise."

"Thank you." Weiss got comfortable and enjoyed the calm breeze, but the silence she wished for was interrupted almost immediately.

"Ruby! Ice Wolf!" Yang called out to the two as she walked over with Blake. "See. Told you they'd be here." She said to her partner, who simply shrugged. In response.

"Ugh, was hoping for some peace and quiet." Weiss lifted her head up, while Yang plopped down next to her. "How did you even know we were back already?"

Yang pointed her thumb over at Ruby. "Texted me. And I so knew you'd be at this spot. Not too hard to figure you out, ice wolf."

Weiss looked over at Ruby, giving her an unamused look. "I thought you wanted this to be a partner day for us."

"Oh? A partner day, huh?" Yang smirked, giving her sister a teasing look. "And what did the two of you do for this so called, 'partner day'?" She used air quotes.

"Ugh, stop, Yang. We just went to a burger place is all…" Ruby didn't want to tell her about the kiss until Weiss was ready to as well.

"Just a burger place? Sheesh, Ruby, you would think you'd wanna take a pretty girl like Weiss here somewhere el-." Yang cried out when her sister tackled her to the ground, while the white wolf sighed in response.

Blake sat next to her, rubbing her fur a bit. "Sorry if she's getting in the way of anything. Yang just wanted to prove you two were here is all."

Weiss' tail swayed a bit from the rubs, and she rolled her eyes. "Don't apologize for the oaf. She's clearly trying to get on Ruby's nerves, but look how that turned out."

"Help, Blake!" Yang called for her partner while Ruby was wrestling her to the ground.

"You're losing to your little sister. I don't think I'm qualified to help on those terms." Blake said in a monotone voice, getting a chuckle from the ice wolf. "Besides, you're the one who bothered them, so this is your problem to deal with."

"Something we both agree on." Weiss grinned, sitting up as she watched the girl she kissed keeping Yang down.

Yang was struggling in Ruby's grip, sighing as she stopped moving around and let her little sister hold her arms down. "You know I let you win, right?"

Ruby moved her hand over and flicked Yang in the forehead, making her sister yelp. "Yes, but that doesn't mean you didn't deserve it. Now stop teasing me and let us have our partner day."

"Alright, alright. But hey," She leaned in to whisper. "Did you tell her yet? I know you mentioned you wanted to soon." Yang hoped Weiss' hearing couldn't pick up on that.

The white wolf was too busy speaking with Blake to notice, and Ruby blushed a bit. "Uh, I'll tell you later." She whispered back, Yang's eyes going wide because she knew her sister must've said something to the white wolf.

As the rose girl got off of her sister, she sighed and looked over at Weiss, who at the moment was still talking with Blake. "Yes, the place we went was a bit packed, but surprisingly the food wasn't all that bad."

"Depends on what you get." Blake noted, enjoying the small talk she could have with Weiss.

"I chose to get a salad, while the dolt here went with a burger. Ugh, I can't think about eating those things so much." Weiss said.

Ruby plopped down next to her. "Oh come on, Weiss. Burgers aren't that bad, and besides I know you like fries, and those are a little greasy too."

"I had one fry, Ruby, and besides, a burger is so much more than a few fries." Weiss defended, looking over when Yang sat next to Blake. "Have you learned your lesson, Xiao Long?"

Yang groaned and leaned against the tree. "Meh, I like teasing my little sister. What of it?"

"Oaf." Weiss muttered and laid down again, Yang smiling a bit when she thought about something.

"Hey, I know you two wanna have your partner day, so we'll leave you to it, but I do wanna say this. I like this." Yang's words weren't understood immediately, so she continued. "Us. All just sitting here and finally being a team who gets each other."

Ruby grinned happily. "Yeah, it's really nice. And we're all here together, ready to take on four years of Beacon. It'll be awesome!"

Blake's ears twitched under her bow, thinking about if she really could go four years with her team. More so, living a life she could be proud of again. Her right hand was shaking a bit at the thought, and Weiss noticed it, but instead of saying something to draw attention to her, she moved a little and nuzzled Blake's hand, causing the cat Faunus to look down at her.

Weiss smiled, trying to get her to relax. "Weiss… Thank you."

Ruby and Yang looked a little out of the loop. "What ice wolf do?" Yang asked her partner.

"Nothing. I do agree though. Four years here will be an experience." Blake said as she rubbed Weiss' fur a bit, the white wolf looking over at Beacon as she did.

" _This place means a lot to so many people. It's a home to some, a chance to start over for others… What is it to me?"_

The white wolf felt it was to follow her dreams, but it seemed more than that. Like a combination of many reasons to be at Beacon. But all in all, that question didn't invade her mind for long, since she was with her team.

"Ruby." Weiss called out to her partner as she sat up to face her. "I'd like to tell them now, if you're okay to."

Yang and Blake remained silent, wanting to know what she was talking about, while Ruby nodded and scooted close to her partner. "Blake, Yang… Um, Weiss and I, are, well… Together."

"I knew it!" Yang cheered loudly, while Blake threw her hands over her bow, trying her best to cover her ears since the blonde was way too loud just then.

Weiss groaned in response, her own ears flattening against her head. "Do you have to be so loud about it, Xiao Long? Ugh, last time we tell you important news while I'm using my semblance."

"Sorry, but I just knew something had to have happened while you guys were in Vale." Yang grinned, holding her knees with excitement. "Look, I don't need full details, but at least tell me how it happened."

Ruby blushed, wishing her sister wasn't gushing about it. "Yang, can we not do this right now…"

"Oh come on, Ruby. I've known about your little crush for awhile now, and Weiss, you're honestly the only one I'm okay with Ruby being with, without having to have the sister talk with them." Yang stated.

"The sister talk?" Weiss repeated confusingly.

"Yeah…" Yang's eyes went red for a second, surprising Weiss and Blake, while Ruby sighed. "You know," She got right in the white wolf's face. "Hurt my sister and I break every bone in your body." Her tone shifted, making Weiss' eyes go wide, but when she moved back and chuckled, her lilac eyes returned. "Like that."

"O-Okay…" Weiss didn't admit it, but she was a bit terrified of the blonde at that point.

"Buuuuut, I don't need to have that talk with ya, because I trust you." Yang smiled, but after a few seconds, she realized she may have intimidated the white wolf. "Uh, ice wolf? Didn't scare ya now, did I?"

Weiss snapped out of it and blushed. "W-What? Of course not. Like you could scare me... "

Yang smirked and crossed her arms. "Uh huh."

Blake intervened by slapping the back of Yang's head like she had done before, earning another yelp from the blonde. "Stop being a pest." Yang started rubbing the back of her head while glaring at Blake.

"I'm just messing with her, sheesh. Can't a girl have a little fun here and there?" Yang whined.

Ruby cut in and poked her sister's head. "Nope."

"Ugh, lame." Yang pouted, while Weiss smiled and got on her paws, getting her team's attention. "You going somewhere, ice wolf?"

"No," Weiss faced Blake and Yang. "But I wanted to ask you both something." Both waited on the white wolf to ask her question. "How do you both honestly feel about Ruby and I being together?" She needed to hear it from them.

Yang crossed her legs and gave her a grin. "I think you know how I feel, but to be serious for ya, I'm really happy. I've known you for years, and I meant what I said. I trust you to not break Ruby's heart."

The white wolf's tail wagged a few times, but she wanted to hear what Blake had to say too. "You're both happy, right?" Blake asked the two, both nodding. "Then that's all you need."

"But I want to hear your opinion either way." Weiss said in a serious tone.

Blake was taken aback. "W-Why do you want to hear my opinion though? It's not important when-."

"Please, Blake. If there's something wrong-." Before Weiss could continue, Blake stopped her right then and there.

"No, that's not it. I've had crushes on girls too, so no, I have no problem with that. I just… After what we talked about, I just didn't think you'd care for my opinion." Blake admitted.

Weiss sighed and sat in front of the cat Faunus. "I can't lie and say we had any good interactions with each other, Blake, but we don't need to dwell on that. All I'm asking for, is to hear you out, so will you let me?"

Blake was still wondering how a Schnee could simply forgive her at that point, how she could want a Schnee's forgiveness in the first place. It was so backwards from what her life was like before, and in the little time she's been around Weiss.

"If… If you really want to know, well, I'm happy for you two. I can't say I expected this, but you two seem like you want this, so you have my support." Blake smiled, remembering an old friend of hers that had a crush on her, thinking about how she was, even after leaving the White Fang.

Weiss leaned in and nuzzled Blake, a few tears fell, surprising both her and Yang. The tears fell because they were the first to accept something that made her happy. It only brought on her want for Whitley to accept her choices in life that makes her happy.

"Thank you…" Weiss softly spoke, and Yang couldn't help but scoot over and hug her while she nuzzled Blake.

Ruby smiled as she watched them before joining in and rubbing Weiss' back. They've had their issues, whether it was in recent times, or years ago, but they were a family.

"Hey, come on, ice wolf. Don't cry on us." Yang soothingly spoke, hoping the tears were out of sadness. "You know we're happy for you and Ruby."

"You oaf, I'm crying because I'm happy…" Weiss didn't drop her smile as she continued to nuzzle Blake, while the cat Faunus wondered why she was that emotional at the moment, though her question would be answered since Weiss spoke up. "You didn't try to go against what makes us happy... "

Ruby started worrying a bit. "Weiss?"

The white wolf could hear it in her voice, so she whimpered a bit. "I-It's about Whitley…" She looked up at Blake. "My brother… He doesn't approve of me going to Beacon, so… To hear you and Yang accept us like this… I just-."

Blake cut her off when she leaned over and gently hugged her. "I'm sorry."

Weiss was shaking a little, as a few more tears fell. "You don't have to be. We've already been through this."

"Not about that." Blake learned even more about the Schnee family that day. That even amongst family, there were problems. She had always assumed they were lumped together as Faunus hating monsters. "I'm sorry, Weiss."

The white wolf lowered her head, thinking about her talk with Whitley the day before. She hoped someway, somehow, her little brother would show her this much support again.

" _I thought I was okay… I guess I was lying to myself…"_

Weiss thought to herself, feeling Ruby and Yang hugging her as well, all three members doing their best to comfort the white wolf as she continued to cry.

* * *

 **While Weiss did confront Whitley in a way, she still can't lie and say she's okay. She cares about her brother, and to not have his approval, it hurts her a lot. Luckily she has her team and other members of her family to show her how much they care and approve of her choices in life.**

 **To JJ- Honestly that's probably like her clothes. They simply fall off, but the biggest issue with armor is her having to put it on each time she uses her wolf form. And yeah, I like having Team STRQ working on some things in this story, and with Willow, well it's getting close to her having to confront her husband.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 51. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 52.**


	52. Keep Your Enemies Closer

**Here's chapter 52, everyone.**

* * *

"We're here, Ma'am." Klein said as he parked the car, looking over to see how she'd react, only for Willow to nod. "Would you like anything before speaking with-?"

"No, it's quite alright, but thank you, Klein." Willow gave the butler a smile as she opened the passenger door and stepped out. "Summer, come on." She tapped the window, seeing that the blacksmith fell asleep in the backseat. "Ugh, of course you did." The white haired woman opened the door and reached out to nudge the blacksmith. "Wake up, you dolt."

Summer snored, but quickly opened her eyes. "H-Huh? Oh, are we here already?"

Willow sighed. "Yes. How did you even fall asleep that fast?"

"Uh… Easily?" Summer yawned and stepped out of the car, taking in the cold breeze. "Sheesh, still cold."

"Stop complaining and get your suitcase." Willow ordered as she walked over to the trunk with Klein. "Besides the whining as you called it, how has HE been?"

As Klein opened the trunk of the car, he lifted up both Summer and Willow's suitcases. "I've only overheard his talk with Master Whitley about their deal in Mistral. It sounds like it went well, in his sense of the word."

"Of course it did." Willow shook her head, taking the suitcase from the butler. "If Jacques ever takes pride in anything, it's his ability to make a deal go well… I only hope this won't be a problem for whoever he's made this deal with."

"I've not had all the details, but if I would make a guess, I'd say he spoke with the headmaster of Haven Academy. It was something he spoke about several weeks ago." Klein said as he was about to walk with Summer's suitcase, but the blacksmith quickly grabbed it from him.

"Hey, if Willow here gets to hold her suitcase, then I can too." Summer grinned.

Klein simply nodded respectively, not wanting to argue with either one of them since he knew Willow didn't like him always carrying her stuff for her. "As you wish, Mrs. Rose."

"If only you were a genie, Klein." Summer joked as the three made their way inside of the manor.

Willow wondered if she'd even be able to speak with her son after her talk with Jacques. The man was never one for allowing his son to waste any time on what he called, meaningless discussions.

" _I'll find a good time to pull him aside from his studies."_

* * *

"Thank you, father." Whitley bowed to his dad, and the Company President nodded to him. "I'd like to ask, will that headmaster in Vale be the one we… Uh, I mean you make a deal with?"

Jacques sighed and shook his head. "That foolish old man is too stubborn to accept my hospitality, so for now, I'll see to it that those other barbaric academies are dealt with first, then he'll see what my support can get him."

While Whitley was asking the question about Vale, he was mostly thinking about his sister, believing that his father's support would better protect her. "I-I do believe Vale would be best to go with next, father."

Jacques raised an eyebrow, his hands folded on his desk. "Oh? And exactly why do you believe that?"

"Well, for one, you mentioned that the headmaster of Haven spoke highly of the headmaster of Beacon. If he listens to him, then maybe the other headmasters do as well. Start with the higher up, and the underlings would follow suit, correct?" Whitley explained.

"Hmm, you bring up a valid point." Jacques thought about it for a moment. "That General Ironwood has also accepted some of my support as well, but not entirely. His talks with Ozpin tend to make him waver from my hospitality." He got up from his chair and turned around, arms behind his back as he looked out his window. "Son, you can go now. I'll consider what you told me."

Whitley bowed again. "Yes, father." As soon as he left the room, he saw his mother walking over. "M-Mother."

Willow froze, not expecting to see her son till after she and Jacques spoke, but something made her put her suitcase down and run over to him to give her son a hug. "Honey, I didn't know you were speaking with your father. Are you okay?"

She was always nervous whenever Whitley had a talk with Jacques, hoping her husband didn't yell at their son for whatever reason. "I-I'm fine, mother." He pulled away from the hug and noticed Summer was walking over. "You… Brought that woman with you again."

Luckily Summer hadn't heard him refer to her as 'that woman', and Willow sighed. "Whitley, don't be rude. You know that's Mrs. Rose. The blacksmith who did a fantastic job building Weiss her weapon. You've spoken with her before."

"Years ago. Apologies for not remembering well." Whitley said, while Summer walked over with a soft smile.

"Hey, kiddo. Been awhile since I last saw you. How've you been?" Summer asked, setting her suitcase down.

"Uh, well, I've been doing well. I apologize, but I only know of your last name." Whitley admitted, and Summer looked a little down about that.

"Ey, it's okay. You were pretty young when we last spoke. My name is Summer Xiao Long Rose. I stick to just Summer though, but if you're like your sister, then I bet you're only gonna call me Mrs. Rose." The blacksmith explained.

Whitley tensed up at the mention of his sister. "Honey, why don't you speak with Summer for a bit? I have to talk with your father, and I'm sure we'll be awhile."

"I barely know this wo… Mrs. Rose. Why would I-?" Before he could finish, Summer cut in.

"Hey, now, relax, kiddo. I'm not a stranger. Besides, you gotta be bored with all that business studying. Let me tell you some stories about my hunts." Summer grinned.

The boy looked hesitant. "You mean that barbaric-."

"Whitley." Willow's voice was stern, not wanting her son to continue his thought.

Whitley simply sighed in response. "Very well, but I do not wish to waste much time on this. I have a lot of studies I need to catch up on, due to the business trip father and I went on."

Summer gave him a thumbs up. "No problem. I'll tell you a short one."

Willow watched as Summer grabbed both suitcases and walked down the hall with her son. She was thankful that her friend was there to keep her son away from Jacques' office, since she knew what was going to happen.

She didn't knock, not caring how her husband would react as she simply walked in and saw that her husband's back was turned. "Jacques."

The President of the company slowly turned around, glaring at his wife. "So you finally showed up. Take a seat." He said, sitting down at his desk.

"I'd prefer to stand, thank you." Willow crossed her arms.

Jacques rolled his eyes. "Very well. Now I would hope you know why I requested to speak with you."

"Let's not play dumb here, Jacques. We both know this isn't a simple chat. So tell me, what is the matter with you?" Willow questioned in a serious tone.

"I have no issue here. You however feel it's appropriate to ignore any of my calls, so tell me, what is the matter with you, Willow?" Jacques kept his glare up.

"You. How you behave, how you treat our children." Willow clenched her fists. "How you treat people in general. You're not the same man I married…"

"Oh please." Jacques spoke, his care not showing. "Your father chose someone smart to run this company, and I am a blessing to have been married to."

Willow stomped over, getting a few feet in front of his desk. "No, it's not a blessing. You hurt more people than you help, and I don't care how much dust you refine. All you've done is tear our family apart."

"Watch your tongue, woman!" Jacques yelled as he stood up from his chair, slamming his hands against the desk in anger, losing all patience with his wife by that point. "I have given them a home and allowed them to live their own worthless lives!"

A slap rang out through the room.

It didn't register in his mind that it happened till moments later, but when Jacques took a step back and raised his hand to his cheek, he stood in shock. "Dont. Ever, and I mean ever! Say that about them again! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?!" Willow screamed.

"You… Struck me?" Jacques kept his hand on his cheek, stunned still.

"And I'll do it again if you dare say something like that again." His wife's voice was filled with venom, her last shed of care for the man gone. "My children are not yours to judge!"

Jacques finally snapped out of it and quickly moved to grab her arm, making her gasp as he pulled her over and slammed her against the wall, the painting of their family falling over from the impact. "You will regret laying your hands on me, woman."

Willow's arms were pinned to the wall, but she refused to let her husband keep her that way. In response, she kneed him in the crotch, getting a pained gasp as he backed away, letting her go in the process.

All Willow did at that point was get to the door, holding her hand up with a glyph ready for use. "Come near me like that again, and I swear… I will make sure to right this mistake of staying with you here and now."

Jacques was still recovering, knelt on the ground in pain since he obviously didn't have his aura trained whatsoever to have it up. "You despicable woman... " He groaned, trying his best to stand. "I'll have you arrested for assault!"

"Is that right?" Willow challenged. "I believe you have cameras in here that will show you pinning me to the wall, telling me how I will… What was it, regret laying my hands on you?" Sadly for her, she herself couldn't get access to that recording, since it was all linked to his terminal.

"Willow… Stop acting so rash." It was the time for him to attempt making deals with his wife, a tactic she knew all too well. "Just let me grab you a drink, and let's discuss this like civil-."

"There's nothing civil about this, so be quiet and listen." Willow kept the glyph in her hand ready for anything. "My children, are not yours to ridicule or control. My father's company, his name, is not for you to stain, but clearly you do these things anyways."

"I have done nothing wrong, you despicable woman!" He yelled, finally able to stand, but was still feeling that pain. "This company is much more than your father ever made it, and those kids were given everything they needed."

Willow hated his tone, feeling like he truly believed he was a good person. "You didn't give them a father who loved them. Even your own son is a pawn to you!"

"He is the only one who has shown any promise! Winter joined that idiot general's army, and the orphan-." Before he could continue, Willow yelled.

"Stop calling her that!" Willow marched over, not afraid of what the man could do. "She is my daughter!"

Jacques wanted to raise his hand against his wife, easily he would be able to erase the footage the cameras in his office captured, but the sight of the glyph in his wife's hand was intimidating. "You're making a big mistake, Willow…"

"The biggest mistake I made was staying with you… I told myself over and over again, that it may be possible to have a life with you, but all it's done is bring me pain." Willow somberly spoke.

"And exactly what do you plan to do about it…" Jacques questioned, taking a step back from his wife.

Willow slowly moved back as well, shaking her head. "Nothing… You need me to be around to keep the Schnee name afloat, right?" Both were not dumb. If Willow was gone, his influence on the company would falter as well. "And you give my son a home… So I'll continue this… Fake life. But I'll say this, don't you dare hurt my children. If you do… I'd rather give up my entire family legacy and leave with my son."

"You dare speak to me like this? Do you believe you're untouchable?" He grit his teeth.

"No, but I learned a lot from you, and I believe you once told me, keep your friends close, and your enemies closer, correct?" Willow crossed her arms, her husband staying silent. "I thought so. I'll be taking my leave. Enjoy the rest of your day… Dear." She stepped out of the room, not looking back as she heard something breaking in his office.

" _I can't let that man control me like this. When I find a way, I'll strip you of your role as President here. Then I'll make sure you can never hurt my children again. That is a promise, Jacques Gele."_

* * *

 **For the easy solutions, sometimes the easy way out isn't the way you can do things. So Willow will play the waiting game for her time to strike. Until then, she knows the man she married, and she knows her children. Her children mean more to her than the man she married.**

 **To JJ- With Yang and her hair, I didn't want to use that every time, since it would be a repetitive joke with her. For Weiss and how she and Whitley have been, you are correct. She needs to talk more with her team, her mom and Whitley. And Blake, well I was giving a nod to a certain chameleon Faunus, so we'll see how far that goes.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 52. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 53.**


	53. An Unexpected Sight

**Here's chapter 53, everyone.**

* * *

"Wow, you said all that?" Summer asked as she and Willow were out in the courtyard, sitting at one of the tables Klein set up for them. When Willow nodded, Summer smirked and took a sip of the tea Klein made them. "Dang, and you kneed him in the-."

"Let's not discuss every little detail that happened, okay." Willow requested before taking a sip herself. "Besides, it was all I could do when he pinned me to the wall like that."

Summer crossed her arms and looked pissed. "I swear you should just let me beat the hell out of him for that. A man should never lay a finger on his own wife that way."

"He's not a man though, he's a monster. One I'll figure out how to deal with, and only then will I break away from him." Willow stated.

"I don't know. I'd say you're breaking away from him already to be honest." Summer smiled, proud of her friend for standing up for herself. "I just wish I had video evidence of you kneeing him."

Willow chuckled lightly. "I'm sure you do, but… Thank you. I'm still nervous. It did feel good to put him in his place. If not for me, for my children."

"Hey, your children can handle themselves pretty well, Willow. You can't forget to think about yourself too." The blacksmith reminded.

"I-I just need to be sure they're okay first, Summer." Willow said softly, thinking about all three of her kids. "They're the most important to me."

Summer reached over and rubbed her arm. "I know they are, but they need their mom too, so don't let him hurt you either, kay?"

Willow remembered what Raven told her, so she nodded. "Right. And… About Weiss, I wanted to say thank you for hearing me out on that. You're the only one I've told outside of Atlas."

"Not a lot of people know, huh?" Summer asked, and Willow shook her head.

"She asked me to keep her a secret." Willow said in a quiet tone as she thought about Lazuria. "Even to this day, I'm unsure if she's still alive… And that hurts me so much because there may be no chance of Weiss ever… Ever getting to meet her real mother."

Summer sighed. "Willow, I already told you that you are her mother, and I know, her birth mother, but Weiss won't be upset with you about-."

"It's not about being upset. She deserves to know the truth…" Willow explained.

"I won't argue that, but until you feel it's best to tell her, do what you can to just… Be happy. You have a daughter who loves you. Two daughters, and a son." Summer smiled.

Willow took a breath, feeling the cold breeze of Atlas making her hair flow, while Summer shivered a bit, earning a light chuckle. "You're still cold out here, huh."

"Very…" Summer replied, hugging herself to keep warm.

"So dramatic." Willow sipped her tea and was glad she had a friend with her.

Moments later, Summer's scroll went off, and the blacksmith was surprised by the message she received. "Huh, didn't think they'd ask for me this soon."

"Hmm?" Willow looked curious.

"Raven and Qrow. They're in the middle of a big job apparently and might need my help at some point." Summer explained. "I'll let em know they can ask for me later though."

"How come?" Willow inquired.

"Keeping you company, duh. No way am I about to leave you here after what happened. And don't try to make me go, cause I won't." Summer said, her serious tone taking over since she refused to allow her close friend to stay alone in the manor with her husband.

Willow scoffed. "Honestly. I can take care of myself, Summer. Or should I remind you of the kneeing?" She smirked.

"Oh trust me, I want you to remind me about that a whole bunch. Still wish I had a video of it." Summer sighed. "But it's not that I don't think you can take care of yourself. I just don't want that man laying a finger on you again."

"Summer, I won't let him." Willow assured.

"Well think of me as backup, and because I wanna get a shot in on kneeing him too." Summer grinned, earning a playful eye roll from Willow. "No seriously, I _kneed_ to have a shot at that."

"Oh… No, I am not dealing with that. You get your butt over to Raven and Qrow right now!" Willow yelled, Summer laughing happily at her friend's reaction.

* * *

"Feeling better, ice wolf?" Yang asked, rubbing Weiss' fur a bit since the team had gotten back in their dorm, but with Weiss not having as much aura, she simply stayed in her wolf form, not caring about the reactions she got from students who still didn't know of her 'semblance'.

"I'm fine." Weiss had fallen a bit into a depressive state when the thoughts of her brother invaded her mind. It wasn't something she could control, as the pain of not being accepted by her brother was too much to think about.

"No you're not. Look, you can talk to us about this." Yang offered, wanting to the white wolf to not distance herself. "Please, Weiss."

Her name. The only times she knew Yang was being serious, so she sighed while she was laid on laid down on the floor of their dorm. "I'd rather not talk about Whitley, okay…"

Ruby hated seeing her like that, even kissing her forehead now that they were together. "Then why don't we do something fun? Maybe to keep your mind off of it."

Weiss shrugged, not feeling like it would help. "Don't let me stop you from doing something for the rest of the day, Ruby."

"But… It's still our partner day, and I wanna spend it with my partner, hence the name." Ruby tried to lighten her mood a bit.

The white wolf sighed and got to her paws. "Okay… But what should we even do? I don't feel like going back into town right now, and my aura is too low to train or spar."

Ruby took a bit to think of something, and she snapped her fingers when she figured it out. "Oh! Maybe we can scare some people." She grinned, Weiss looking unimpressed with her idea.

"Seriously? Is this about my semblance, you dolt?" Weiss questioned, knowing the answer before Ruby could even say it. "Don't even answer. I know it is."

"Heh, well I mean… It could be fun, and besides, remember that one guy who was messing with you first day? You can so scare him to death." Ruby reasoned.

Cardin Winchester. Weiss remembered hearing his name when teams were being named, so she growled a bit at the mention of him. "Honestly, I wouldn't mind doing that… But I don't know, Ruby."

"I won't pressure you to, Wolfy." The nickname stuck. "I just don't want you to be sad." Ruby spoke softly, reaching over to hug her wolf partner. "You mean so much to me… And when I can't help, it hurts."

Yang stayed silent, and Blake was on her bed, ready to step in if she needed to. "Ruby, it's not that serious… I'm just… Whitley is not an easy person to talk about nowadays."

Ruby frowned, remembering how sometimes on video calls she'd talk with Weiss about how she'd feel like Whitley was talking to her less and less every day. "He just needs to stop being a big dummy and be happy for you."

"I wish he was…" Weiss whimpered, nuzzling sadly into Ruby, the rose girl biting her lip because she felt like she made it worse. "Ruby… I told you this already… But… Blake and Yang..."

When Weiss trailed off, Ruby got a little worried for her. "Weiss, I'm here."

"He called me a mutt…" Weiss said, silence soon following after.

Ruby felt her heart drop, remembering when Weiss told her about that, but Yang looked pissed and clenched her fists. "He said what?! That little shit may be your brother, but I'll-."

"You'll do nothing!" Weiss yelled, spinning around to face the blonde. "I am not about to hear you say you'd lay a finger on my little brother, Yang!"

The blonde brawler was surprised by that, and Blake decided to step in. "Guys, come on. Calm down. We don't need to yell about this." The cat Faunus did her best to get in between them, since Weiss looked angry enough to attack Yang.

Weiss took a deep breath and looked down, feeling bad for yelling at Yang, but she still didn't deny that hearing her say she'd hurt Whitley got her upset. "Look, he's my little brother. Yes, he said a horrible thing to me, but… I still love him, Yang. So don't hurt him."

"Damn, Weiss… I didn't mean it like that." Yang rubbed the back of her head. "It's just that he's your brother, so he shouldn't say shit like that."

"Yeah…" Weiss couldn't say much else.

Ruby spoke up, not wanting to stay quiet. "Come on. Let's have a team day instead." Her suggestion got their attention.

"A team day?" The white wolf repeated.

"Mhmm! We're making our partner day a team day, so that means all four of us finding something fun to do for the rest of the day we got left!" Ruby cheered, doing her best to lift her partner's spirits.

"Well, if Blake and Yang aren't opposed to it, but that still doesn't give us an idea on what to do." Weiss reminded, and the blonde perked up.

"Why don't we have a race?" Yang suggested.

Blake was the one who looked confused that time. "A race? What, like around the school?"

"Yeah, but Ruby, you can't use your semblance, and I won't use my gauntlets to shoot myself forward either." Yang said.

Ruby pouted. "But if we have a race, Weiss will get to use her semblance!"

"That's the point, sis. I wanna see if we can beat ice wolf here in a race on our own. Oh, and no semblance use for you either, shadowcat." Yang grinned.

Blake shrugged, deciding not to comment on the nickname, since Weiss did warn her Yang would use it from time to time. "I wasn't planning to, but should we really be doing this? I'm pretty sure this is breaking some kind of rule here."

"I have to agree with Blake. This doesn't sound like it'll end well for us, Yang." Weiss voiced her concern, but yelped when Yang planted her palm on the top of her head.

"Come on, ice wolf. I wanna see how fast you can run like this. Besides, it's not like running is against the rules. Maybe in the hall, but we won't be in the halls for it." The blonde backed away when she heard the white wolf growling at her for planting her hand on her head.

"Oaf, and even so, I don't see why you want to go against me on that. My senses, and my skills as a wolf are about what you'd expect them to be, so you'd lose." Weiss snidely remarked, while Yang smirked.

"I mean if you're so sure of yourself, then why don't you prove it?" Yang shot back, while Weiss rolled her eyes.

"You're just trying to goad me into accepting this ridiculous race." Weiss countered.

Ruby clapped to get her team's attention. "I know it may sound ridiculous, but it really could be fun, Weiss. And hey, if you are faster than us, then we can at least race for second." Her cute grin was all Weiss needed to see to fall for the trap.

"I… You… Ugh, fine, but if we get in trouble, I'm not taking the blame for it." Weiss stated, walking over to the door. "Well? Come on already."

Yang pumped her fist in the air and Ruby ran over to get the door opened, while Blake sighed and followed the others, wondering just what kind of trouble they really were going to get into, since at that point, she wasn't expecting much less.

"Okay! So we're gonna start from this point right here, and make it back to the airships after doing a circle around the school. That sound cool?" Yang asked, the four girls starting from their favorite spot under the tree.

"How many laps around the school? And what about obstacles?" Weiss asked, the white wolf ready to prove that she was much faster.

Yang thought about it for a moment. "I'd say… Rule of three, so that many laps, then a straight shot to the airships."

Ruby paced in place, looking ready to go. "You know, even without my semblance, this is still my element, so don't be surprised if I take home the gold medal on this one, sis."

Weiss playfully rolled her eyes. "There are no medals, you dolt."

Blake spoke up. "I wouldn't be surprised if Yang hid one somewhere just for this kind of occasion."

"Like I'd spend the time finding a gold medal." Yang remarked with a laugh. "Alright, you three ready?" When they nodded in sync, Yang punched her fists together. "Three, two, one, go!"

All four teammates took off, and with some students turning their attention to them when they started running, it was one of the oddest sights, as watching three girls and one wolf running at full speed was not an everyday thing.

One person however watched them, mostly in shock as she hadn't seen a wolf around Beacon yet, more so she hadn't seen Weiss Schnee use her 'semblance' yet. "A… White wolf…" Glynda said to herself, memories of her former teammate entering her mind.

" _Lazuria…"_

* * *

 **Getting Glynda involved more since she does have history with Lazuria in this story, and hey, gives me more characters to work with and get more practice writing for.**

 **To JJ- Yeah Willow is tired of his shit, so we'll see how far things get and if her plan will work. For now she just has to play nice and focus on getting her life back. That and… A few other things that will come up later.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 53. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 54.**


	54. Similar

**Here's chapter 54, everyone.**

* * *

"See." Weiss proudly smirked at the blonde. "I told you I would be much faster than you three, and all it took was a simple race."

Yang groaned, hating that Weiss managed to beat all three of them in their race. She actually placed last herself, with Ruby being second, and her own partner, who she felt wasn't taking it as serious beat her by a few seconds. "Yeah, yeah. Rub it in, ice wolf, but I'll find something I can beat you in when you're a wolf."

"Uh huh. Sure you will, Xiao Long." Weiss kept her smirk up, but yelped when Ruby hugged her suddenly. "Ruby Rose! Don't just hug someone like that! You startled me, you dolt!"

Ruby simply giggled as she held on. "I'm just giving my new girlfriend a celebratory hug is all."

The white wolf blushed, since that was the first time Ruby referred to her as her girlfriend. Yang quickly took note of that and was now the one smirking. "Is the ice wolf of Beacon not able to handle being called girlfriend by… Well, her new girlfriend?"

"B-Be quiet!" Weiss exclaimed, looking away from the blonde who snickered in response, while Ruby gently cuddled her cheek against Weiss', not caring how embarrassing it may look. "Y-You're way too cuddly, you dork."

"Mhmm." Ruby cutely responded, while Yang pretended to gag.

"Gross, my sister is being all lovey dovey with her new girlfriend. Blake, please save me from this torture." Yang's mocked tone was noted, and Blake rolled her eyes.

"Leave them alone." Blake grabbed Yang's ear, making the blonde gasp in a bit of pain as she began pulling her away. All that was heard from her was pained yells to let go, but Blake knew Yang wasn't actually in pain and was simply whining.

Ruby pulled away from the embrace and poked Weiss on her snout, earning a groan from the white wolf. "Hehe. Sorry, couldn't resist."

"Dork." Weiss said, earning another chuckle from her girlfriend. "We should start heading back now. I don't think we're in any trouble for that race, but I'd rather not take any risks with Yang suggesting we do another one."

"Aww, come on. You know it was fun." Ruby remarked as she and Weiss went to go catch up with Blake and Yang. "And besides, you'd just win again and Yang will be even more defeated."

"Not the point, dolt. I don't want us getting into trouble." Weiss reminded. "Unlike you and your sister, I am not one for wanting their permanent record being tarnished."

Ruby snorted. "Permanent record? Heh, come on, Wolfy. It's not that serious."

"Ugh, you're too much of a hassle sometimes, even for me." The white wolf noted.

Once they got over to Blake and Yang, the white rose pair noticed the blonde brawler was rubbing her ear. "You so did not need to pull on my ear like that."

"I think making sure you don't tease your sister and Weiss takes precedence over your ear pain." Blake retorted, and Yang stuck her tongue out at her. "I'm not feeling bad for it."

"Now that one hurts," Yang leaned in to whisper. "Shadowcat."

Blake's ears perked up and she pushed her away. "What did I say about calling me that in public?" Her glare was menacing.

"Which is why I whispered it to you, duh. Sheesh, can't a girl call her friend something she's totally related to without getting pushed?" Yang crossed her arms, pretending to be offended.

"No." Blake responded in a monotone voice.

Yang dropped her arms in defeat. "I can't catch a break with you, huh?" When Blake shook her head, the blonde simply sighed. "Lame." She noticed her sister and Weiss were walking over. "You two done with your cuddle session?" Blake sent her a warning glare, and Yang grimaced, covering both ears. "U-Uh, I mean, chat. You done chatting?"

Weiss rolled her eyes and looked to Blake, sending her an approved nod. "Thank you for dealing with your oaf of a partner, Blake."

The cat Faunus gave the white wolf a thumbs up. "Any time."

Before anyone else could say anything, the tapping sound of boots were heard, so the team looked over towards the source of the noise. "O-Oh, hey, Ms. Goodwitch…" Ruby nervously waved her hand.

Glynda had her arms crossed, looking at the white wolf, who seemed nervous. "Who is this?" She asked, earning confused looks from the team. "Your semblance. I know what it is, so tell me, who are you?"

Weiss was taken aback. "W-What? Ms. Goodwitch, it's me. Weiss Schnee." She said her full name, knowing the professor wanted to know exactly who she was speaking to. "I thought you already knew about my semblance."

The blonde professor was shocked by who it was. "M-Miss Schnee? But… Your semblance is hereditary, so you shouldn't have this semblance…"

"Oh, that's why you're a little confused. I'm sorry if my mother hadn't informed you yet, but when I unlocked my semblance, it wasn't actually glyphs. My mother told me that since semblances are based on our personalities, I broke out of our family line of semblances and grew into my own." Weiss smiled proudly.

Glynda still couldn't believe what she was telling her. Only Lazuria had that 'semblance', at least to her knowledge. "I-I see, well I'll need to fix some details on your records… Also, why are you using your semblance out here, Miss Schnee?"

Ruby covered for her. "I asked her to, since I thought it would help her get a better grip on her semblance." It wasn't a complete lie.

"Semblance use on school grounds is still not advised." Glynda reminded, and Weiss' ears flattened against her head.

Yang cut in at that point. "Yeah, not advised, but it's not against the rules either. Besides, ice wo… I mean Weiss isn't doing anything wrong with her semblance. If it were me, I can get why'd you'd be a little nervous. Fire and all that, but she's just using her wolf form. So nothing to worry about."

"Very well." Glynda chose not to argue, as thoughts of Lazuria were clearly keeping her distracted. "Still, I would advise changing back soon, Miss Schnee."

"A-About that. I don't really have a lot of aura to use for my semblance just yet, so I have to wait a little while. I-I'm really sorry, Ms. Goodwitch. I'll-." Weiss was cut off.

"I know enough about your semblance to understand why you aren't able to use it just yet, but when you can, I still highly advise changing back." Glynda said, getting Weiss' attention even more so.

"Wait, how come you know about my semblance, but you didn't know I could use it?" Weiss inquired.

Glynda had to think of something to say. "I… Knew someone long ago who could use a similar semblance, so if it's about the same as yours, then I can only guess that you use up a lot of aura on a single use of your semblance."

"Y-Yes, but I had no idea other people had a semblance like mine." Weiss admitted, her white wolf form bringing back a lot of memories for Glynda, almost bringing the professor to tears, but she held it back.

"There are many people in this world, Miss Schnee. It's bound to hold some with similar semblances." Glynda stated.

Weiss looked a bit embarrassed by the thought, since she realized that it may not have sounded all that crazy of a possibility. "Right, well… Do you still speak with this person? I still don't know a lot about-."

"No. She was announced K.I.A. on a mission she was on." Glynda's words caused the team to go completely silent.

"O-Oh, I apologize." Weiss looked down.

"I understand why you'd want to know more about your semblance, but she was the only one I knew who had a similar semblance as yours." Glynda didn't want to bring up how it was literally the exact same 'semblance'.

Ruby noticed her partner looked a bit sad about that news, so she spoke up. "Maybe we can find other people that have her semblance then. You did say there's a lot of people on Remnant, so there's bound to be someone out there with it."

"Maybe so, but the only person I had known who had that semblance was her." Glynda noted.

Weiss sighed, but she couldn't allow that to dishearten her. "I understand. Still, it's nice to know that there are other people out there with a similar semblance to mine."

Glynda nodded, but wondered why someone, with exactly the same semblance was at Beacon. Just like her old teammate. "I'll go and fix up your records on what your semblance is, Miss Schnee." With that, she turned around and headed inside the school.

"Wow, so… That was a thing." Yang spoke first.

Weiss was contemplating the new information she was given. "I never knew other people could have a semblance like mine." She was speaking to herself, and Ruby smiled.

"I'm gonna help find whoever has that same semblance for you, Weiss. That way you can learn more about it." Ruby promised, hugging her from the side.

"D-Do you really believe we'll find someone with my semblance? Even Ms. Goodwitch only knew one person in her life that has it." Weiss reminded.

"Just because she only knew one person, doesn't mean we can't know more than her. Heck, let's just ask around. I betcha we'll find something out." Yang suggested.

The white wolf looked up at the sky, seeing that it was starting to get a little darker. "I doubt we'd get much on that right now in all honesty, Yang." The team looked up to see where she was staring.

"Oh, yeah, looks like it's getting way too late for that." Yang remarked. "Eh, we'll try another day. Just let us know when we can help out, ice wolf."

"Yeah, okay." Weiss was deep in thought, wondering what it would be like to learn more about her 'semblance'. "We should get inside. Ms. Goodwitch already told us we can't run around like we did again."

Ruby nodded in agreement, remembering that Weiss was trying to make sure that Yang wouldn't persuade them into another race. "Right. Maybe we could hang out in the training room."

"Didn't I tell you my aura is too low to do that, you dolt?" Weiss reminded.

"I wasn't saying we have to use our semblances or aura. Maybe just dust training. You know, like testing combinations." Ruby explained.

Weiss realized it wasn't as late for that. "Eh, I guess it's fine, but don't expect much from me. I would rather watch this time."

"Right." Ruby led her team back inside, not wanting to make her partner train when she simply wanted to rest.

* * *

Back and forth, Ruby and Yang were using dust against each other, their combinations of dust impressing Blake and Weiss. "I didn't think they'd have a good control on the dust they use." Blake remarked.

Weiss was laying down watching them. "I'm not too surprised. Ruby isn't a fool when it comes to fighting. And same with Yang. Those two are ridiculous at times, but we can trust them in a fight."

Yang smirked while punched upwards with her gauntlets, sending a fire impact shot at Ruby, who was at the moment in the air with the wind dust she used to propel herself up even higher with Crescent Rose.

Ruby responded by blocking the shot with Crescent Rose, safely landing on her feet as Weiss sighed. "Ugh, she said we wouldn't have to use our aura, yet there she goes getting hit by an attack."

"To be fair, you're the one who shouldn't use your aura right now, and she did block it with her scythe." Blake pointed out.

Weiss huffed. "Still doesn't mean they should be firing at each other."

"Weren't you just praising them a moment ago?" Blake asked, rubbing Weiss' fur a bit.

Before she could answer, Ruby held her hand up to her sister. "Hold on, sis. I wanna see what we can do with wind, water and electricity. I was thinking it could be like an actual mini thunderstorm."

"Well, to answer your question, Blake. That's what I praise. The ideas she can come up with." Weiss' tail swayed a bit, feeling proud of her partner. "I… Admire her… Even to a point where I'm a little jealous that she got into this school two years early."

Blake nodded. "It is impressive, though I never really got the story on how she did."

Weiss chuckled, sighing as she recalled what her girlfriend told her. "She snuck onto a mission with a huntress, and… Well her fighting abilities proved to be rather remarkable to the point where she was offered early admission."

"I wouldn't have guess that a girl her age would ever be given a chance like this." Blake remarked.

"Hmm." Weiss watched her partner gathering up some dust, the three kinds she wanted to use and smiled. "She's something else." Ruby cried out when the dust she used zapped her a bit, getting an unimpressed look from Weiss. "And then sometimes she does stuff like that…"

Yang was laughing, unable to contain herself. "Ha! Sis, you should've used the dust separately, not all at once like that."

"S-Shut up!" Ruby blushed, rubbing her arms as they felt numb from being zapped. "Ugh, I thought it would work that way…"

Weiss playfully rolled her eyes and got on her paws. "I'm gonna go make sure she doesn't hurt herself." She said to Blake, who followed close behind. "Ruby, what did I tell you about electric dust?"

"N-Not to get too close to it when it's not in a weapon?" Ruby guessed.

"Yes, and you decided to try and use three types of dust in a pile… Ruby Rose, do not make me have to carry you back if you end up going unconscious." Weiss pleaded.

Yang snickered at the thought. "You know, we never did try that yet."

"Try what?" Blake was the one to ask.

"Letting ice wolf carry one of us. I mean, you are big enough to." Yang said to the white wolf. "And besides, I think you owe Ruby here a carry since she carried you back to the dorm when you were a little puppy."

Weiss growled at the blonde, getting her to take a step back in fear. "Don't bring that up, Xiao Long. And even though Ruby isn't heavy, I still don't feel it's necessary to carry her to the dorm."

Ruby flailed her arms around to get their attention. "Hey! I didn't get a say in this, y'know! Yang was the one who suggested it."

"Yeah, and I wasn't saying you have to… Just implying that you totally should." Yang reiterated.

Ruby cut in again before Weiss could respond. "Yang, I'm not gonna ask Weiss to carry me back. I can walk perfectly fine on my own."

"Sheesh, okay. Was just seeing if you'd wanna try it out for fun." Yang backed off. "Seriously, not trying to piss you off here."

Weiss sighed and examined herself for a moment. "Well… I am bigger now ever since that day we sparred, so I suppose I could carry you." She blushed a bit at what she said. "On missions if need be!" She quickly said, not trying to imply she wanted to carry Ruby then and there.

Ruby let out a small smile. "It's okay, Weiss. I wouldn't ask you to do that."

"I-I… You wouldn't have to. If there's a time where I can help like that, I'll do it." Weiss assured.

"Weiss…" Ruby gently spoke her name, nodding to her partner. "Right, well don't count me out on what I can do too."

"I wouldn't dream of it." Weiss smiled, her tail swaying as she walked over and nuzzled her girlfriend, who hugged her in return.

Yang walked over to Blake and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, smiling at the white rose pair. "Didn't think my joke of an idea would get these results. So worth it."

Blake nodded in agreement. "I can say good job to you on this one, but don't get used to it."

The blonde brawler chuckled. "Trust me, I can surprise you."

"Honestly… I don't doubt that." Blake's words were true, and with Yang, she always felt like she could smile easily.

* * *

 **Not much to say here since it's more of Glynda getting more involved in this story, and of course more team interaction. So I hope that was something you all enjoyed.**

 **To JJ- Yeah with Glynda knowing more, and giving out a bit of info on her, things move a bit closer to where I want it to get to. Obviously neither Glynda or Weiss knows who Lazuria is truly related to. And with Summer and Willow, as usual I enjoy writing their back and forths. It's fun.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 54. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 55.**


	55. It's Kill Or Be Killed

**Here's chapter 55, everyone.**

* * *

"Summer, we asked you to help us with this a few days ago." Raven said, looking annoyed with the blacksmith, who sighed in response. "You were the one who said you'd be here in Atlas if we needed you for this."

"After Willow's fight with Jacques, I wasn't ready to just leave her there alone. Even with Klein with her, I can't take that risk." Summer explained.

Raven shook her head in disagreement. "I helped train her to stand up for herself. Babying her now will put all that to waste."

"It's different when it's someone who she lives with, okay." Summer said in a serious tone. "Look, I'm here now, so what exactly did you need my help for?"

The black haired huntress looked over to her twin brother. "This one is your mission, so you fill her in." Raven said as she walked over to the bed to sit down. "And we should start finding a better place for these meetings. A cabin isn't going to cut it with more people getting involved."

Qrow shrugged. "I think it works fine." He turned his attention to Summer. "Anyways, it looks like there's some group of trackers who hunt specific people." Summer looked taken aback. People being hunted by others? It didn't seem like something she'd ever encounter. "They're called The Relentless."

"The Relentless?" Summer repeated.

"Yup. I would've called them The Painters, but since they already made a name for themselves, I'll stick to the proper name." Qrow said as he took a drink from his flask.

"What is their reasoning for hunting people?" Summer questioned, not taking the information lightly.

"We were told that they believe this specific group of people will go after the ones they hunt, because they think they pose a threat to humanity." Qrow answered.

Summer felt confused on what kind of people would be considered a threat to humanity. "Who exactly do these Relentless hunt?"

Qrow placed his flask down, trying to get a bit more serious. "We call them Shifters. Now, brace yourself for this." Raven rolled her eyes. "Shifters are… Animals. They have the ability to become humans."

The blacksmith blinked a few times. "So… Like what you and Raven can do?"

"Not exactly. We have the ability to become our namesake, but these people were born as animals." Qrow began. "It was confusing to us at first too, but it looks like a small percentage of animals tap into their aura to use this ability."

"Whoa… I… That's a lot to take in." Summer remarked, but then a thought entered her mind. "Wait, there was a fairy tale that sounds just like that! Raven it's-."

Raven stopped her. "Trust me when I say this, it's not a fairy tale anymore."

Summer took a breath, shaking her head a few times. "Okay, I need all the details you two have right now."

Qrow nodded. "We learned about this from a woman who contacted me after she learned who I was from… Her." He pointed his thumb at Raven, who glared in response. Summer was gonna ask what he meant, but he continued. "Basically she got caught by the woman and went through her scroll."

"Make a comment about it, and I promise you won't be able to drink for a week." Raven threatened.

"Yeah, yeah, don't get your panties in a bunch, sis." Qrow said, earning a growl from the raven haired huntress. "Anyways, after she contacted me, I brought Raven in. Looks like that woman is one of The Relentless' targets."

"So… She's an animal that can become human." Summer realized.

"Yup, and she let us know how these Relentless hunt her and the others like her down. It ties to a semblance they all seem to have." Qrow said, shocking Summer.

The blacksmith knew a lot on semblances. "Wait, how is that possible? If this is a group, there has to be a lot of them. No way can they all have the same semblance."

"Stranger things have happened." Raven commented.

Qrow sighed. "It's still a mystery, but what we do know is that she's a Marked. It's what they call themselves when one of those Relentless tag them with their semblance."

"D-Does that mean they can continuously track them?" Summer asked.

"Yes, and even when she manages to kill one, they link her mark to another in the group. Then send them out almost a month later." Qrow explained.

Summer's eyes widened. "S-She's killed them?"

Raven got up from the bed and crossed her arms. "Summer, this woman has been hunted for seventeen years. Killing them is the only time she can ever feel safe."

Killing monsters was never a problem to Summer, but to kill another person was a different story. "There… Has to be some other way than that."

Qrow cut in. "Honestly, I get why you're upset about that, Summer, but in this situation, it's kill or be killed for that woman."

The blacksmith sighed, while Raven spoke up. "This isn't your choice to make, so don't begin to feel sympathy for the kind of people she kills. It's how she survives."

"Fine…" Summer muttered.

Raven continued. "We're going to try and find this group's HQ, and then deal with them ourselves. You don't have to help us if you don't want to, but remember what they're doing to people. Hunting them down, and murdering them."

"I know!" Summer yelled, surprising Qrow, but Raven didn't flinch. "It's wrong what they do… But if I help, then you both have to promise me that you won't kill anyone. Whoever this woman is… Fine, I get she has to, but we as hunters don't."

Qrow was about to try and say something, but Raven cut him off. "I can agree to that much."

Summer took a sigh of relief. "Thank you." She thought about something for a quick moment. "Who is this woman by the way? Is she in Atlas still?"

Raven looked down for a moment, closing her eyes as she had to tell Summer who it was. She lifted her head back up and opened her eyes. "Her name is Lazuria Okami." Summer's eyes widened, a gasp escaping her lips. "She is Weiss Schnee's birth mother."

"What…" Summer already knew the information about Weiss' mother, but to hear that she was the one who was being hunted. It brought a new fear into her mind.

"I can sit here and explain how I know this, but-." Summer cut her off.

"No, it's not that. I already know that Willow isn't Weiss' birth mother." Raven was surprised by that. "She told me about that a few days ago… But… Is she really the one being hunted?" The black haired huntress nodded, so Summer needed to take a seat on a chair. "No…"

Raven sighed. "Do you understand why this mission is a bit more important now?"

Summer lowered her head, placing both hands over her face as she shook her head. "This must be what Willow meant when she told me Lazuria had to give Weiss to her… She didn't want her daughter to be hunted like her…"

"Looks that way." Qrow commented, grabbing his flask from the table to take a drink. After he did, he leaned up against the wall. "Raven here decided for the woman that it would be best to not let her wolf cub know of it all though."

The blacksmith was shocked by that, so she turned to face Raven. "Why would you tell her that?"

"How she looked at us when she begged us for our help, and how she sounded when she talked about how she wanted her daughter to be happy, the only real way to be sure of that, is to not get her involved in this." Raven explained. "Lazuria does want to tell Weiss the truth, but she wants her to have a happy life. She's contradicting herself."

"Raven, you shouldn't force her to stay quiet…" Summer voiced her concern.

"I gave her a choice." Raven stated. "If she wanted my help, she needed to promise not to speak with her daughter about the truth."

Summer looked upset with her friend, so she got up and walked right up to her face. "Listen, this isn't how you should handle things here, Raven. I already can see you're trying to bring out how you feel about your own personal stance on this."

Raven was taken aback. Summer wasn't one to get that serious with her, so she took a step back and glared at the blacksmith. "Don't speak to me about what you don't know, Summer."

Qrow could feel the tension between the two women, so he got in between them and pushed them away from each other. "Hey, hey, calm down, you two. No need to get at each other's throats right now."

"It's still not right to just make her avoid her daughter." Summer's voice was raised a little.

All Raven could do was roll her eyes. "Stop acting like a kid. Willow raised Weiss for seventeen years. Bringing in some woman after that long will mess that kid up."

"How would you know?!" Summer yelled.

"Because I've been through it!" Raven countered, Qrow sighing since they didn't calm down when he told them they should.

"That's enough!" Qrow shouted, both looking angry still. "This," He motioned around them all. "Is not the place to do this crap right now. We have a mission to do, and both of you need to stay the hell out of their business." The scythe using huntsman ordered. "If Lazuria wants to talk to Weiss, she'll talk to Weiss. If she doesn't, then she doesn't. Leave it at that and get over it. Both of you."

Raven turned around and walked out of the cabin, refusing to acknowledge what he said, while Summer clenched her fists and sat back down on the chair. "I'm sorry, Qrow…"

He simply sighed in response. "Just try not doing this right now. That woman is still out there, and we don't know when she'll be targeted again. So the sooner we get this done, the better for her." Qrow leaned over to whisper. "And the sooner she can talk with her daughter."

Summer was surprised he was on her side with that, so she whispered back. "Don't you think Raven will try to keep her from doing that?"

"I don't know, Summer, but we can't think about that right now. First things first, we have to find out where these Relentless guys keep their base of operations."

"And figure out how they could have the same semblance… I know like the Schnee family semblance, it's hereditary, but I doubt this whole group is just one giant family." Summer noted.

"We'll have to find that out one way or another." Qrow sat on the bed and looked out the window, seeing his sister sitting by the fire they had outside. "She's not gonna be talking for awhile."

Summer sighed and walked over to the door. "I can get her to."

"Good luck." Qrow threw himself back on the bed and closed his eyes, while Summer walked outside.

Raven didn't need to look over at the cabin to know who was walking up to her. "If you're going to try and argue about it again, don't bother wasting your breath."

"I won't," Summer responded, standing a few feet behind her friend. "I'm here to ask you about the mission. What do you plan on us doing?"

"Find one of them, get any intel we can, dead or alive, and trace the Relentless back to their HQ." Raven explained, kicking some of the wood into the fire to keep it going. "Once that's dealt with, and that mark is off of her, our mission will be done."

Summer rubbed her arm a few times, sighing. "What if we end up finding a bigger group than we're bargaining for?"

"It shouldn't be that hard to deal with." Raven stated as she stood up and turned to face Summer. "Besides, I doubt they have an army. If they did, they wouldn't have a problem expending more people to go after Lazuria."

Summer let out a light chuckle. "Honestly, even asking you, I wouldn't be too worried facing an army. Still… This is more than just finding an HQ. They may have more bases out in other kingdoms."

"Which is why we find one base, and then, the rest will be a lot easier." Raven reasoned.

"This isn't really about how hard it'll be… It's how we deal with them that worries me." Summer reiterated.

Raven took a seat on one of the logs, looking directly at Summer with a gaze she was all too familiar with. "How blunt do you want me to be here?" Summer bit her lip, but after a moment, she nodded. "Some people may have to die, and it wouldn't be our first mission where that's happened."

The words that came out of Summer's mouth next were soft and barely audible. "I know…"

"Yes, we promised to not kill if we don't need to, but… If you want that woman to have any chance at seeing her daughter, no not tell her the truth, but at least see her again, then we have to deal with them as best as we can." Raven stated.

"Even so… I won't kill them." Summer stood her ground.

Raven shook her head and turned around on the log. "That's you, but like I said, I'll keep to what I agreed to. I won't kill anyone if I don't have to, but if something happens and it calls for it, I won't hesitate."

Summer held her own arm, taking a breath as she turned on her feet and headed back to the cabin, but before she reached the door, she glanced over her shoulder at her old friend, hoping she wouldn't have to cross that line.

* * *

 **So even Summer can get into arguments with Raven. Luckily Qrow can… Somewhat get them to calm down. And I like to think Summer would be the kind of person to not want to kill other people.**

 **To JJ- I'm doing what I can to get the team to really interact well together, though to be honest, I need to work on Ruby and Blake interactions more. Just hard to do since the show barely does that to begin with. And I'm glad you like the talks they have, as well as the funny moments I add in here and there.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 56. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 57.**


	56. Demonstration

**Here's chapter 56, everyone.**

* * *

A month had passed, Ruby and Weiss had grown even closer after telling even Team JNPR of their relationship. Summer had begun working at Beacon as intended each week, but would return to Raven and Qrow to support them on their mission.

Willow was doing her best to continue living with her husband in the manor, but ever since they had argued, or in her eyes, fought, they haven't said a word to each other. So she did her best to find time to continue her training with Raven, who in turn had to come up with excuses to get away from the mission she was on.

And Lazuria was still doing her best to stay alive, having recently killed another Relentless that was sent after her a week prior.

At the moment, Ruby was sitting in combat class with her team, and Team JNPR, along with other students. "Why won't she let me go down there and show off what I can do?" Ruby whined as she watched Nora fighting against Blake.

Yang slung her arm around Ruby's shoulders. "Just be patient, sis. Goodwitch will pick you at one point. And besides, we get to watch Blake kick Nora's butt."

"Ahem." Ren coughed, getting their attention. "Clearly you haven't check the aura levels."

The blonde looked up at the screen, seeing that Blake was at seventy four percent, while Nora was still at Eighty. "Eh, a six percent difference is nothing to be proud about. My partner is so kicking your partner's butt."

Weiss rolled her eyes. "This isn't a competition. It's training, and before you go and say I should be rooting for Blake, don't. She can handle herself well in a fight."

Hearing the confidence in her friend's voice, Yang grinned. "Heh, yeah, you're right. Blake doesn't need us to show off her skills."

Pyrrha lightly chuckled. "Don't be too surprised if she loses. Nora tends to go overboard on sparring, so-."

Before she finished her sentence, Nora yelled out as she slammed her hammer down on Blake, at least what would have been Blake if the cat Faunus hadn't used her semblance to dodge the attack.

Blake sighed, looking over and seeing her aura depleted even more, so she needed to end the fight quick. From the blabbing Nora would do during lunch, she knew her semblance was powered by electricity, so in the fight they were having, she knew not to use lightning dust on her.

Nora smirked as she ran over to Blake once she lifted her hammer up. She swapped it to its grenade launcher form while running and fired off two canisters, hitting Blake as she held her blade up to take the brunt of the damage.

She slid close to the edge of the arena, which if she fell off, would cause her to lose.

"Come on, Blake. You got this." Yang muttered, her eyes locked onto her partner.

Blake recovered from the attack and quickly responded with several swings of her Gambol Shroud, sending out waves of fire towards the orange haired girl, who yelped and tried to dodge, not seeing that Blake used her semblance to get out of sight.

Once she was right behind her, the cat Faunus grabbed her arm and used all of her strength to throw Nora right off the arena they were on, making her land right on her butt. "Gah! Noooooo!" Nora exclaimed.

Glynda nodded, pleased with the demonstration. "Very good, Miss Belladonna. You managed to secure the win with your aura at a disadvantage, something you should remember during the Vytal Festival, but," She looked to Nora. "You, Miss Valkyrie, did very well though on combating Miss Belladonna. If this were a real fight, you may have been the one victorious."

Nora rubbed the back of her head as she was still on her butt. "Thanks, I guess…" She got up and looked over at Blake, pouting at the cat Faunus. "Lucky shot, Blake. Next time I'll win for sure."

Blake shrugged, putting Gambol Shroud away as she stepped off the arena. "We'll see." As she walked over to where her team was sitting, they congratulated her, especially her partner who quickly patted her back in pride.

"I knew you would win!" Yang cheered.

"It's not that impressive." Blake plainly admitted.

Yang had a cheeky grin on her face and continued patting her back. "I think it was."

"Miss Rose, Miss Schnee, both of you, down here. This will not be a combat match, but a demonstration of your semblances." Glynda called out to the white rose pair, mostly interested to see how similar Weiss' 'semblance' was to Lazuria's.

Ruby was giddy with excitement, almost sprinting down to the arena, while Weiss sighed at her reaction and simply walked down. " _Great… Now everyone here in class will know what happens when I have to change back…"_ Weiss thought to herself, blushing as she hoped she wouldn't have to explain that part of her 'semblance' to the class.

"Both of you, please describe your semblances to the class." Glynda said, waiting on the two as Weiss groaned when she got on the arena with her partner.

"My semblance is actually not that complicated. It's speed. I can accelerate myself in battle to pack a stronger punch, carry people away if I need to get em out of a sticky situation, and I've been working on a new move, but I kinda wanna keep that a secret till I can actually do it." Ruby explained to the class.

Weiss grumbled a bit at how Ruby was easily able to talk about her semblance. Glynda nodded, but when she looked to Weiss, the white haired teen hesitated for a moment. "Miss Schnee, your semblance."

"Y-Yes, my apologies." She took a breath and faced the rest of the class. "M-My semblance allows me to take on the form of a wolf." That got a lot more people's attention. "My senses are increased to match those of an actual wolf, and recently I discovered I can change the size of my wolf form." Glynda took note of that part of her 'semblance'.

One of the students raised their hand, and Glynda nodded to allow them to speak. "So like, you become a wolf, but how do you fight?"

"W-Well I… Um, use my weapon with my… Teeth." When Weiss said that, some people began to laugh at how ridiculous that sounded, making her blush as she stomped her foot against the ground. "It's not funny!"

"It just doesn't seem believable." Another student called out while wiping away tears of laughter, earning a glare from Ms. Goodwitch.

"Children! Enough! Semblances are not a joke, and for those who continue to laugh will face detention, do I make myself clear?" Glynda darkly eyed the students, the ones laughing gasping and shutting their mouths instantly.

Weiss was taken aback by how Ms. Goodwitch had defended her just then. " _I don't think I've ever seen her that angry before."_

"Good." Glynda said to the class, turning back to Weiss and Ruby. "Now then, if you two would, demonstrate your semblances. Either one at a time, or together."

While Ruby looked ready to show off her semblance, Weiss was freaking out on the inside. "R-Ruby." She did her best to keep her voice down, but just loud enough for her partner to hear.

"Hmm?" Ruby scooted over to hear her better. "What is it?" She whispered.

"W-When I use my semblance, the flash of light that blinds people for a moment, could you please grab my clothes and make sure no one sees them?" Weiss pleaded.

"Uh, how come you want… Ohhh, yeah I gotcha." Ruby assured.

Glynda tapped her foot against the ground. "Enough chit chat, you two. I asked you both to demonstrate your semblances. Now get to it before class ends."

Weiss sighed and decided she would go first so Ruby wouldn't spend too much aura demonstrating her semblance, and using it to hide her clothes. The class watched as the white haired teen closed her eyes and took a deep breath, the same light shining on her body, blinding the class as Ruby quickly used her semblance a moment later.

Once the light faded, Weiss was back into her wolf form, the class gasping, though some weren't as shocked since they had seen her outside in the courtyard a few times. "Very good, Miss Schnee." Glynda praised, her heart racing however as it was just like how Lazuria would change too.

The white wolf was on her paws, looking up at the class. The ones who hadn't seen her wolf form already had many questions, but before they could ask, Weiss spoke up. "This is my semblance. Like I said, my senses are heightened to match those of a real wolf."

Due to being in combat class, they did have their weapons on them, so Ruby appeared next to her partner, having taken Weiss' clothes to a spot where no one would find them. "Sorry, had to get something real quick."

Glynda raised an eyebrow at that, and took note of something with Weiss' 'semblance', but chose not to bring that up. "I can only assume you used your semblance, Miss Rose." When Ruby grinned and nodded, Glynda sighed. "Well, I did say you can both use your semblances at the same time."

Ruby chuckled and showed Weiss that she still had Myrtenaster. "Yup, but now Weiss can show everyone that she can fight with her weapon." She walked over to her partner and smirked. "Ready to show those laughing jerks what you can do?"

Weiss chuckled in response, nodding as she took her weapon from Ruby with her teeth, the ones who laughed suddenly taken aback, as their thoughts on her being unable to use her weapon as a wolf was shot down.

Glynda held her hand to her heart, remembering more and more of Lazuria as she watched the white wolf handle her blade. "Okay… I didn't think she'd actually hold a sword with her teeth." One of the students commented.

Yang smirked as she crossed her arms. "You jerks better watch and learn."

Weiss looked to Glynda, wondering if she wanted her to demonstrate her skills. For a moment, the blonde professor didn't respond, but she snapped back to it. "Miss Schnee, if you wish, go on and demonstrate your combat abilities with your semblance."

The white wolf nodded, unable to speak at the moment with her weapon in her teeth, so she watched as Glynda walked over to the console. Once she pressed the button to activate the hard light program, Ruby took a step back as hard light human like enemies appeared on the arena.

The blonde brawler whistled, impressed by the hard light program. "Atlas tech is something else."

Weiss took a battle stance, Myrtenaster held tight with her teeth as it was in its sharp edged form. Glynda made it so that the hard light program was on attack mode, so they brought out what looked to be assault rifles in hard light form, taking shots at the white wolf.

Ruby yelped since she realized she was still on the arena, so she started using her semblance to dodge the incoming barrage of hard light bullets. Weiss however jumped from side to side, getting closer as she growled a bit.

As soon as she was right in front of one, she swung her blade horizontally, slashing through it with ease. " _Easy enough, but I can't drop my guard."_ The white wolf quickly backed away when one of the hard light enemies slammed its gun down.

"Now I've seen everything." Cardin spoke, the boy who messed with Weiss on her first day crossed his arms. "A wolf fighting with a sword. Weird as hell."

Jaune didn't like the way he said that. "What about it is weird? Just because she's good with her semblance, or because you can't get that other people are way more skilled than you?"

"What the hell you say, ya wimp?" Cardin questioned as he stood up from his seat.

"Enough!" Glynda's voice boomed. "No speaking during a demonstration."

Cardin grumbled as he took his seat, while Pyrrha smiled as she nudged Jaune's shoulder. "Huh? Oh, what's up, Pyrrha?"

"It was nice of you to stick up for Weiss like that." Pyrrha praised.

"O-Oh, well I mean… Uh, he was being a jerk about it." Jaune rubbed the back of his head. "So I just said how I felt is all." He thought back to initiation. "I don't wanna stand by and do nothing again after all…"

Pyrrha knew what Jaune meant. In the time they had been partners, Jaune would sometimes bring up how he felt useless during initiation and wished he could've helped her when she was injured.

The sounds of Weiss' 'semblance' demonstration were heard in the background as the scarlet haired huntress in training sighed. "Jaune, we've talked about this. You're just getting used to this and-."

"I can't slow down, Pyrrha." Jaune cut in, his palms on his knees as he watched the white wolf fight off the hard light program. "Ruby has a full squad that can handle themselves… You, Nora and Ren can too. I need to be able to handle myself too."

"But you did, Jaune. I remember what Ruby and Weiss told me about your plan during initiation." Pyrrha reminded.

Jaune sighed. "Just because I came up with a plan, doesn't mean I can let that be it. I didn't even know how to activate dust for crying out loud." Their conversation was quiet, so only the two partners could hear each other, since the other students were focused on Weiss' demonstration.

"I just don't want you to feel like you have to put so much pressure on yourself." Pyrrha sadly spoke.

"Everyone here pushes themselves to get better, so I have to try too." Jaune said, taking note of how Weiss fought. "The times you and I trained this last month has really helped, but I have to do better."

Pyrrha managed to smile, proud of her partner as she folded her hands and looked over at the arena. "You will, Jaune. I know it."

Jaune felt a bit more inspired, hoping to be able to catch up to his team soon.

Weiss was hit by one of the hard light bullets, making her groan a bit since her aura was slightly drained. She growled and dropped her weapon, but her eyes widened when she remembered what would happen when she did that. The white wolf refused to give in like last time and quickly picked her weapon back up with her teeth and charged at the final hard light enemy.

She jumped up high when it shot at her again, flipping forward as she slammed her blade vertically down, slicing it in two as it shattered, ending the program.

After seeing it was over, Weiss sat down and gently dropped her weapon. She was panting a bit since the fear of losing control was on her mind when she had dropped her weapon a few moments ago. " _Calm down… You were able to suppress it."_

Glynda walked back on stage and nodded to Weiss. "Very good, Miss Schnee. You have a good grip on your sembla-." Before she could finish her sentence, the bell rang, signaling the end of class. "Hmm. Class, remember what you've learned today. Proper semblance control is key in combat."

Some of the students nodded, while others simply got up and headed for the door to go to their next class. Ruby groaned after she had heard the bell. "Ugh! So unfair! I was just about to show off my semblance…"

Weiss wasn't paying attention to her partner's whining, since she was trying to calm herself down. " _Come on, relax… Just relax…"_

* * *

 **Decided to go with a month time skip since having things move forward too quick felt unbelievable. So with this, characters will have grown a bit closer to one another, and you'll see that moving forward.**

 **To JJ- That's the fun of writing this story. I know what I have planned for certain parts, while the rest writes itself as I'm a go with the flow writer. Oh, and with Raven, I more meant she knows about what it's like leaving a kid behind with another parent, as in she left Yang with Summer, while Lazuria left Weiss with Willow. Also glad you liked Qrow stepping in. He got sick of their arguing.**

 **To the guest on chapter 55- Team STRQ is a fun team to work with, so to add Tai, well yeah that's the next step. As for Ruby and Blake interactions, I still wanna have them in the story since it's a problem in the show and I don't want to have them ignore each other. Still, I'm glad you like Weiss and Ruby's relationship.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 56. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 57.**


	57. Our First Mission

**Here's chapter 57, everyone.**

* * *

Yang and Blake walked down to the arena when they noticed that Weiss wasn't moving, and Ruby realized too once she stopped complaining about being unable to demonstrate her semblance properly. "Weiss?" She ran over to her partner, moving her hand down to shake her a bit. "You okay?"

Weiss lowered her head and took a deep breath. "I-I almost lost control again, Ruby."

Ruby frowned, rubbing her fur a bit. "You didn't though, Weiss. Doesn't that show you how much better you're getting at controlling your semblance?"

"I don't know…" Weiss lifted her head up, seeing that Blake and Yang made it over.

"Ice wolf, didn't you hear the bell? We gotta get to our next class." Yang said, seeing that the white wolf was looking a little down. "Hey, you doing alright?"

"I'm fine." Weiss assured as she got on her paws and walked passed Blake and Yang. "Ruby, if you could, can you get me my clothes please?"

While she wanted to comfort her partner, Ruby knew they needed to hurry or they'd be late for their next class, so she used her semblance and got Weiss' clothes from the hiding spot. Once she ran back, Blake and Yang stayed near the entrances to the training room to make sure no one would walk in.

Ruby had turned around when Weiss used her 'semblance' and got dressed again a couple of minutes later. "I'm done." She told her team, all three turning around to see the white haired teen fully clothed again.

They nodded and quickly made their way to Grimm Studies, hoping they'd have enough time to get there before the next bell would ring.

* * *

Later that day, Weiss seemed to be more calm about what had happened during combat class. "Yo, ice wolf." Yang greeted as she walked into the dorm. "Didja hear the news yet?"

"Hmm? What news?" Weiss asked, getting up from her bed to hear what her blonde friend had to say.

"We're going on a mission with a shadowing hunter." Yang grinned, pumping her fist in excitement, while Weiss was pleasantly surprised they were about to go on their first official mission together. "I was with Ruby when she got called in to sign up for one."

Weiss crossed her arms, looking a little offended. "While it's nice to have a mission to go on, that dolt could have informed all of us about it before signing up."

"It was kinda outta nowhere to be honest. I was just lucky to be there with her when she got the message on her scroll." Yang explained. "Oh, and I think Team JNPR is going on a mission too."

"Was it mandatory?" Weiss asked.

Yang shrugged. "Not sure. Ruby just got a message on her scroll to report to the sign up station. I kinda bailed on her after she signed up to get a bite to eat."

Weiss sighed. "I suppose I'll just ask her when she gets here." The white haired teen walked over to the mirror, looking at her reflection for a moment as she imagined seeing her wolf form. It was staring back at her, not actually, but in her mind.

The blonde brawler wasn't dumb. She knew Weiss was having some trouble, so she walked over, appearing behind Weiss in the mirror, so she knew Yang was behind her. "Y'know, we could go find Ruby now if ya want. Get her to give you some afternoon cuddles to help ya feel better."

With a blush, Weiss spun around and stomped her foot against the floor. "I do not need cuddles, you oaf. I'm fine."

"Hey, now, no one in this world should ever deny a good cuddle, especially from their girlfriend." Yang grinned, trying to lighten the mood, which only got Weiss to blush harder. "Buuuuut, if you'd rather skip out on cuddles, we can still find Ruby to see why we're being told to go on a mission."

Weiss rolled her eyes and walked passed the blonde brawler. "Just don't make me freeze you in place, you oaf." Yang chuckled, finding Weiss' threat to be cute, rather than scary. "We should also inform Blake of this, you know."

"On it." Yang got her scroll out and sent a text to her partner, telling her to meet up with them at the front of the school.

After getting outside, Weiss smiled at the breeze that hit her, only for Blake to walk over to her and Yang moments later. "What is this about a mission?" The cat Faunus inquired.

"Ruby apparently was told to sign up for one, without telling us." Weiss glared at Yang, who groaned in response.

"I already told you it was outta nowhere. Now stop complaining. I let Ruby know we'll be waiting out here for her." Yang said.

"Hmph." Weiss looked over at the school's entrance, hoping her partner would be quick about it. "Did you even see what kind of mission we'll be going on?"

"Yup. It's not that hard. Just a search and destroy." Yang explained. "Soooo, bring on your best moves, cause we're finally gonna get to fight some Grimm again."

Blake spoke up. "It is what we're training for, and besides, are all of your moves not your best?"

The slight grin on Blake's face made Yang stutter. "W-What? I mean… You gotta have like, y'know, a really awesome move too… Wait, you're messing with me ain't ya?"

The cat Faunus shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. Or I'm just pointing out that no matter what situation you're in, be prepared to give it your all. That or you'll end up, well… I don't need to say."

"Ugh! Blake, why are you being so dark about this?" Yang whined.

"To get you to stop being you for a moment." Blake stated, earning a chuckle from Weiss, while Yang hung her head in defeat. "That and because it's easy to mess with you after spending a month and a half here."

Before Yang could fire back, Ruby ran over to her team, bursting with energy. "We got a mission! It's gonna be awesome!" She yelled, flailing her arms around excitingly. "I can finally use Crescent Rose to its fullest potential again."

Weiss decided to speak first. "One, calm down. Two, why were you told to sign up for a mission in the first place, three, will you stop yelling every time you're excited…"

"Nope, Ozpin said that we qualified for a mission because of our grades as first years, and nope." Ruby responded to each of Weiss' points, earning a glare from her girlfriend. "What? I'm allowed to be excited, Wolfy."

The white haired teen quickly flicked her partner's forehead, making Ruby recoil back a bit. "Yes, you are, but yelling out at the top of your lungs is not appropriate all the time. And stop calling me Wolfy so much!"

"You know she'll do it more now, right?" Yang grinned and Weiss rolled her eyes.

Ruby rubbed her forehead a few times, pouting at her partner. "I still wanna be excited for this. It's our first real mission together as a team, Weiss."

"Okay, okay." Weiss gave up. "Just be sure to let us know with at least a text message on signing us up for a mission."

"I know, it was just really unexpected is all." Ruby explained. "But I promise from now on, I'll tell my team about every important detail on what involves all of us."

The smile her girlfriend gave her was enough for Weiss. "Good… And thank you for making the promise, you dork."

"Hey!" Ruby pouted, earning a light giggle from Weiss. "If you get to call me dork just as much as I call you Wolfy, then Imma keep calling you that… Wolfy." She grinned.

Weiss simply rolled her eyes. "Uh huh. Before we end up going back and forth, I'd like to know when our mission is. Also where we'll be going."

Ruby got her scroll out and quickly swiped the screen. "Hmm, tomorrow is when we get sent out. And it looks like we'll be heading for the Sapphire Coast."

"Sapphire Coast?" Weiss repeated in a questioning manner.

Blake spoke up. "It's a coast with blue dust crystal scattered all over. Prime target for most water elemental Grimm subtypes. I've only ever been there once before, so we'll have to be on guard for anything."

Yang patted her partner's back. "Man, you really have gone a lot of places, Shadowcat." She whispered the nickname, doing her best to not break her promise.

"Only to places I needed to be is all." Blake stated, piquing Yang's interest.

"Uh oh." Ruby suddenly said, the team looking over to see what was getting her so nervous. "So… The person who is gonna be shadowing us on the mission is Ms. Goodwitch…"

Yang started laughing, while Blake looked a little confused on the matter. "What?"

"The person who caught my sister sneaking on a mission was Goodwitch." Yang laughed a little harder, while Ruby looked terrified, knowing that the blonde professor would scold her about it when they'd head out.

Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ruby, relax. She's a trained huntress, and while what you did was obviously ridiculous, I doubt she'd let that interfere with a mission as important as this."

* * *

"Miss Rose, finally on a mission you didn't sneak on." Glynda chastised, earning a groan from Ruby, while Weiss was surprised that the huntress would even bring that up.

"I knew she'd never let me live it down!" Ruby whined.

Glynda rolled her eyes and escorted the team to the Bullhead. "As you know, the mission you'll be on is a simple search and destroy. Some elementals are out near the Sapphire Coast keeping miners from it, so you are to clear it out. Do you four understand?"

All four members nodded, and Yang spoke up. "Kill the Grimm to make sure the miners can get the dust from the coast. Easy enough."

"Don't underestimate your opponents, Miss Xiao Long. Elementals are not a joke." Glynda reminded.

"Trust me, I know. I'm just saying that we get what we have to do." Yang assured.

"Good." Glynda stepped on the Bullhead, small enough to bring her and the team to the coast in under an hour. "Have you all brought the proper gear for this mission?"

Ruby had a large pack on her back, nodding to the blonde professor. "Yup! Ready to go and if we have to camp out, we have the gear for that too."

Glynda glanced at Weiss for a moment, feeling an odd fear in the back of her head. The white haired huntress in training took note that her teacher was looking right at her. "U-Um, did you want to ask me something, Ms. Goodwitch?"

"Hmm? Oh… No, no, I was just waiting on you four to get on the Bullhead already. We haven't got the whole day for this, so hurry it along." Glynda said as she looked away from Weiss.

They all hurried in on the Bullhead, not wanting to risk being yelled at. "Any idea on how long we'll be out there for?" Yang asked the blonde professor when the team was all in.

"We've been given three days to handle the elementals there. If I were to get involved, we could get it done faster, but that isn't why I'm going. So if you really want to impress anyone, don't make me have to jump in." Glynda remarked.

Yang rubbed the back of her head. "Okay, a bit of added pressure there, but hey, it's like you said, this isn't gonna be a joke. We'll show ya that we can take care of ourselves out there."

"I would hope so, Miss Xiao Long." Glynda replied.

* * *

As the Bullhead landed, the team and their shadowing huntress stepped off. "We'll be coming back here in either the three days given, or earlier if you four can dispatch of the Elementals, and other Grimm types in the area."

The girls were taken aback by the beauty of the Sapphire Coast, looking at the calm blue water. "Wow, if we didn't know Grimm were here, I'd say this place would be a wonderful vacation spot." Weiss commented.

"I'll say." Yang took in the sight.

Ruby readied Crescent Rose, pulling it up to look down the scope. "Hmm, well, this coast is… Uh, wow. Not like any coast I've ever seen. It goes for miles."

Glynda nodded. "A place like this should be preserved, but due to its abundance of water dust crystals, it's used for mining operations. Some that still haven't found its way through the entirety of the coast."

"Sheesh, well we better get to work if we wanna clear this place out in three days." Yang said as she got Ember Celica ready to go. "Where should we start then?"

Blake looked back and forth down the coastline. "Honestly, it's hard to say. Either side will do, and we can't forget the grasslands off the coast." Gambol Shroud was ready to go.

Weiss took a breath, having an idea as she tapped Ruby's shoulder, getting her attention. "Maybe if I use my semblance, I can sniff out the Grimm in the area."

"You can track that well? Awesome." Ruby grinned, praising her partner as she threw her arm around Weiss. "I guess the closest scent you smell is the one we'll go to first."

The white haired huntress in training smiled at the praise. "Yes, well I can only track scents I've come in contact with before, and only in my wolf form of course. So if there are any Grimm out there we haven't faced yet, then I won't be able to find them."

"That's fine. Just the fact that you can already track down a few types of Grimm is gonna make this so much easier for us. Thank you, Wolfy!" Ruby hugged her girlfriend tight, making her blush.

Glynda looked a little nervous about Weiss' suggestion to use her semblance, but as a huntress, she couldn't say anything and allowed the team to make their own decisions, hoping they wouldn't lead to something bad.

"Okay, ice wolf. Ready when you are." Yang gave her a thumbs up.

Weiss nodded, closing her eyes and activating her 'semblance'. Moments later she was ready to go, and Ruby quickly got her clothes for her, putting them in her pack. Glynda knew even more about Weiss' 'semblance', worrying her even more so.

Before she did anything else though, Ruby walked over to her partner and smiled, wrapping her necklace around the white wolf. "Here ya go, Weiss."

The white wolf's tail swayed happily as she nuzzled Ruby a few times. Without realizing it, Glynda teared up, feeling it roll down her cheek as she raised her hands up to wipe it away.

* * *

 **Mission time. I'll be trying more fight scenes in this mission, so I hope they'll be something you can all enjoy. And it also gives me the chance to write more for Glynda's involvement with Lazuria.**

 **To JJ- Glad the transition of the time skip was good, and yeah, Nora is the over dramatic kind who would yell out if she lost while landing on her butt out of bounds. Weiss is still going to have that guilt with her, and she'll have to realize that she can control who she is.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 57. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 58.**


	58. Blood

**Here's chapter 58, everyone.**

* * *

The white wolf of Team RWBY was sniffing out the coast, hoping to find any Elementals that she's faced before. "I know I don't need to say this, but just in case, I haven't fought normal Grimm yet. So be on the lookout for non Elemental types." The team nodded to her and she continued to track whatever she could.

Glynda was behind them, sighing to herself as she was holding back on helping the team. " _She's just like Lazuria…"_

Weiss' ears perked up and she stopped moving, the team readied their weapons as Ruby was about to throw Myrtenaster to Weiss. "Hold on… What I can smell isn't as close as you're thinking, but… I believe it's a Strom." Remembering how she was when she fought a Strom during initiation brought a sense of urgency to the white wolf.

"Okay, so we at least know those are around." Yang commented. "Still, there's gotta be Okean around here too. No way a water Elemental wouldn't be around a place like this."

"Very observant, Miss Xiao Long. Water Elementals such as Okean can inhabit the sea as well, so be prepared for any attacks from the ocean itself." Glynda warned.

Ruby cut in. "Wait, we can't hunt them down in the ocean, so how will we be able to make sure this place is safe for the miners?"

"A perimeter will be secured with hunters hired to keep guard of the miners. You've been sent out to clear a lot of the ones who have taken refuge on the coast itself, so once a good amount of the area is cleared out, another team will be dispatched with the miners." Glynda explained.

"The coast could be easily cleared out by other trained huntsmen and huntresses, but with us it's more like a test, right?" Blake assumed.

"In a way, but do remember that failure is not just affecting you as a team. It affects the miners as well. For if you four are unable to secure this coast, then mining opportunities will be lost for until another team of hunters can be dispatched." Glynda said, adding more pressure on the team.

"Uh, right, so don't screw up. Got it." Yang said, keeping on the defensive.

Glynda rolled her eyes at how she phrased it, while Blake gasped when she saw two Strom Alphas jumping down from the hill to the left of the coast. "Looks like they're a lot closer than expected."

Weiss was feeling nervous, but Ruby snapped her out of it. "Weiss, your weapon." She tossed it to her partner, who quickly caught it with her teeth, growling a bit as the two Strom Alphas noticed them. " _Two of them… Alphas too…"_

Glynda took a step back. "Remember, this is something you four as a team must handle. Use the knowledge you have achieved from your studies to combat these two."

Ruby had her Crescent Rose in scythe form, looking over at the tails. "Weiss always reminded me during studying that if we take out the tail, they can't use their elemental attacks."

Before the team could respond, the two Alpha Strom ran towards them, wind flowing around them, so certain dust attacks would be useless, as the strong wind current acted as a shield for them. Weiss watched as Blake took the initiative, using her semblance to get behind the two Alpha Strom, but when she shot a few rounds at them, the wind current simply knocked the rounds back.

Yang punched her right fist forward, sending an explosive shell at the left Strom Alpha, which did manage to break through the current, but it whipped its tail to block the explosive shell. "Ugh, damn these things are tougher than they look."

Since they got close enough from charging, Weiss and Ruby jumped to opposite sides of each other, but they gasped when they realized they hadn't landed on the ground when jumping away.

The blonde brawler watched the white rose pair lift off the ground when the strength of the Alpha Strom's current caught them in its grasp. "Ruby! Weiss!" She punched her fists together, the fire of her semblance bursting as she quickly shot at the Alphas. "Get away from them!"

In times when her family or friends were in trouble, Yang refused to let anything harm them, so when she saw that her shells were swatted away again by their tails, she charged, grabbing an earth dust crystal and using it on her boots, surprising Glynda.

The boots she wore were covered in rock, so the moment she got in the vicinity of the Alpha's wind current, she was planted on the ground, not being able to be lifted up. " _Impressive on the spot reaction."_ Glynda thought to herself as the blonde brawler was able to punch one of them in the snout, making it howl in pain, but it managed to jump back, the other using the chance to try and swipe at Yang.

Luckily her aura was strong as she crossed her arms in a blocking position, taking the hit and getting sent back a bit, but with the earth dust on her boots, she wasn't moved that far back.

Since the Strom that she punched was sent away from Ruby and Weiss, they were able to land on the ground, while Blake used the chance to run at the recoiled Strom Yang punched earlier. After it had been hit by the blonde brawler, its wind current defense died down, so its tail was open for an attack.

The cat Faunus went in for a slash, gasping when it powered itself up with electricity, so the moment her blade made contact with its tail, she was shocked by it, crying out in pain.

Yang's eyes widened when she watched her partner fall to the ground on her back, sparking anger in her as her eyes turned red. "Sis! Ice Wolf! Handle the other one!" She yelled at the two, running at the Strom that knocked her partner down.

Weiss and Ruby nodded. The white wolf slashed from the ground in a vertical motion, sending a line of rocks soaring at the Strom Alpha in front of them. She figured that with wind current that strong, fire and water would do nothing. Ruby didn't wait for the attack to hit and charged in, hoping that if the Strom managed to protect itself from the attack, her follow up would be unexpected.

As soon as the rocks crashed onto the Strom's wind barrier, it used the time to jump back and howl, lightning being summoned to crash down in front of it to stop Ruby from getting close enough. "Dang it!" Ruby yelled, annoyed by how it managed to stop her from attacking.

Another howl roared out, a cloud appearing above it as several light strikes surrounded it. Both Ruby and Weiss surprised, as they hadn't seen an attack like that before. The lightning strikes circled around it, the Strom growling as it looked to Weiss.

The white wolf took a step back, knowing that it wanted to attack her since she was a wolf as well. " _I can't let it get close… That lightning will eat away at my aura."_

Yang had reached Blake, jumping on the Strom Alpha's back to keep it from advancing to her partner. "There's only one wolf I ain't about to beat down, and it ain't you!" She yelled out, punching the top of its head, making it howl in pain, but with it, the lightning came down on both it and the blonde brawler.

Blake watched as her partner was zapped, but she realized that Yang wanted that to happen when she saw her grinning. "Yang!"

She couldn't pay attention to Blake's shout, as her semblance kicked in and fire burst around her body. Her eyes blood red, Ember Celica fully powered up as she punched down, slamming her fist against the skull of the Alpha Strom, shattering it to nothing as the added damage of her semblance gave her just enough to put it down.

The cat Faunus' eyes widened, watching as her blonde partner had blood splattered on her, panting a bit as she wiped away some of it from her cheek. "Son of a bitch…"

"Yang…" Blake slowly got up, groaning from the lightning she was hit by. "Are you… Okay?"

"Huh?" The blonde huntress in training didn't know her eyes were still red, and the amount of blood on her clothes. "Oh… Uh, shit. Sorry." She turned away, not letting her cat eared partner see the blood anymore.

"It's not about the blood." Blake walked over, pulling her arm to spin her partner around. "I asked if you're okay." Before she could answer, the sound of Weiss and Ruby fighting the other Strom Alpha.

"Uh, gonna have to get back to you on that." Yang said, turning to run over to her sister and friend. "Don't fall behind, partner!"

Blake sighed, doing her best to not forget to speak with Yang after the fight.

" _This is getting us nowhere!"_ Weiss thought to herself, dodging a pounce from the Strom, almost getting stuck by the circling lightning. " _There's only a small window where I can get through…"_

Ruby used her semblance, spinning as fast as she could to become a twister. The white wolf's eyes widened when she realized Ruby was going to take it head on, the red twister smashing into the Strom's lightning cloud defense. "Get away from my girlfriend!"

Weiss blushed, not expecting Ruby to yell those words. She watched as the red tornado had managed to slice off the Alpha's tail, the elements it once had now been cut. The white wolf recovered from the shock of what Ruby said, so she ran over, swinging her blade horizontally, aiming for its neck. Her blade met its mark and blood spurted out from the gash in its neck.

The Alpha almost howled in pain, but the blood loss from its neck was too much, bringing it down as the white wolf dropped her weapon, panting a bit as she needed a breath. "It… It had to be an alpha we found first."

Ruby ran over to her partner. "Are you okay?"

Weiss could tell she was concerned about her, so she simply nodded. "I'm fine, Ruby… Just a little annoyed by how it was an alpha we had to find first of all things."

"Aww, lame." Yang whined when she got over. "I was so about to get in that second kill."

The scythe wielder stuck her tongue out at her sister. "Bleh! Not this time, sis. Me and Weiss got it down. And… Whoa, sis. That's, um, that's a lot of blood." She pointed out.

"Oh, uh, heh, yeah." Yang tried to rub some of it off her clothes. "Kinda went a little overboard there, but hey, it's dead, and I'm not. It's a win-win in my books."

Weiss thought about the day she bit into the Strom during initiation, the blood on her lips. It made her heart thump faster, so she shook her head and walked over to the blonde. "Get something to clean that off…"

"Hmm? Why? It's just blood, ice wolf." Yang said, confused at why Weiss sounded upset.

"Just clean it!" Weiss yelled, surprising her team and Glynda. When she saw Yang's reaction, she took a step back. "I-I'm sorry… I just… I would rather you clean that blood off…"

Yang took a step forward, rubbing Weiss' fur with her non bloodied hand, speaking softly to her. "Okay, Weiss. I will. Just take a breath, kay."

"Y-Yes… Okay." The white wolf turned around and walked a bit away, sitting down as her ears drooped, so Ruby ran over to see what was upsetting her so much.

The blonde brawler sighed and rubbed the back of her head, quietly muttering to herself. "Man, first Blake and now Weiss… I just killed one Grimm. I don't get it."

Blake spoke up, softly so the others wouldn't hear. "I don't know why Weiss is upset, but I'm not. I just wanted to ask why you got so… Angry. I don't think I've ever seen you like that before."

Yang was a bit startled by Blake's appearance, but she shrugged in response when she realized what she said to her. "Doesn't seem any different than whenever I got mad before."

"But it was…" Blake remarked. "I'm not saying you lost control or anything, but… Why did you get so angry like that? Just tell me."

"Well, hell I don't know. That stupid Strom knocked you down, so I wasn't about to let it hurt you." Yang explained, lightly blushing a bit. "My dad tells me I shouldn't be getting so angry sometimes…Can't really stay cool when my partner gets hurt though."

The cat Faunus let out a small smile, reaching over to place her hand on Yang's shoulder. "Look, I'm not upset with you about it. Honestly, I should thank you for saving me."

Yang moved away a bit, shaking her head. "You don't have to thank me. I'm still kinda pissed off at myself about what I did anyways." Her eyes widened for a moment and she faced Blake. "N-Not saving you. I'd do that in a heartbeat no matter what… But I meant that I hate losing my cool so easily."

"It happens to the best of us, Yang." Blake stated, looking down at her scarred leg. "I still remember my own moments… So don't think you have a problem here."

"But I do." Yang said in a somber tone, sniffling a bit. "Ice wolf gets worried too, but hers is semblance related. I'm just… Such an idiot. I get angry too damn easily." Blake punched her shoulder. "Ow! What the heck, Bla-?"

"Stop blaming yourself. You're not like that." Blake smiled, trying to be what Yang was to her weeks ago. "I still have a lot to learn about you, but knowing as much as I do, you're not a sulker like I am."

"Y-You're not a sulker." Yang defended.

Blake playfully rolled her eyes. "I'm not dumb, Yang. I can tell how I've been in my own life, but the person who got me to at least, start to break out of that, was you, so don't make us trade places here."

The blonde brawler lightly chuckled, finally getting a smile on her face as she threw her arm around her partner. "I wonder what our clothes would look like if we switched. Y'know, styles and colors. Would be kinda cool to see."

"I-I didn't mean it that way!" Blake exclaimed, and Yang snickered in response.

Ruby looked over her shoulder, seeing that both Blake and her sister were doing okay, so she was glad for that. She turned back to Weiss though, wanting to see what was bugging her. "Weiss, talk to me."

"I'm fine. Just… Seeing the blood on her brought up a bad memory I don't like thinking about." Weiss answered honestly. "Look, I promise to talk about this more when we aren't dealing with this mission."

"But-." Ruby stopped herself, remembering the promise she made to Weiss. "Okay, Weiss. But promise we'll talk when we either camp out, or get back to Beacon. Please?"

The white wolf's tail swayed a bit, happy at how Ruby cared about her so much, so she nodded to her partner. "I promise, Ruby. Now let's get back to finding more Grimm. This place can't clear itself out after all."

Ruby grinned happily, grasping Crescent Rose tightly. "Right!"

* * *

 **Hope the fight scene were good here. I'm still trying to get better with them, and this mission was a good way to get practice in. And yeah, Weiss still has those thoughts on the Strom she killed during initiation.**

 **To JJ- Blake and Yang moments are still fun, and the fact that I can have Blake teasing Yang at times is another plus. So far their first mission is going well. In a way. Glynda being the one to shadow them was a coincidence.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 58. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 59.**


	59. Hand to Hand

**Here's chapter 59, everyone.**

* * *

Glynda walked over, arms crossed behind her back. "You four did very well, but remember that your auras have taken some damage from this encounter." She eyed Yang specifically. "Miss Xiao Long. The use of earth dust was a clever move, but the aura you must have lost from your reckless attack is not something you should repeat."

Yang grumbled a bit. "I know that, but I'm still good on aura."

"Maybe so, but don't just become reckless on each encounter you come across, or else your aura will shatter, leaving you a liability on the field." Glynda countered.

Blake spoke up, coming to Yang's defense. "She only used the amount of aura she had because of me. Yang saved me, so if there's anyone to hold responsible there, it's me."

The blonde brawler was taken aback, smiling a bit, while Glynda shrugged. "Placing blame is not what I'm here to do, Miss Belladonna. You must all be sure to not exhaust your aura so early on in a mission."

Instead of whining about, the team simply nodded and continued on with the mission. Weiss was still a bit upset about the blood on Yang, the Strom's blood. " _I can't let this distract me."_ The white wolf sniffed out any scent she can some across again, trying to find any more Grimm in the area.

Ruby held Crescent Rose tight, making sure to keep her partner covered while she was tracking any Grimm down. "Ms. Goodwitch, are we being graded on this?"

"Evaluated is the better term, Miss Rose. So don't think that just killing Grimm is how you'll show me you can handle being huntresses." Glynda remarked.

The rose girl nodded, not wanting to fail the life she was aiming for. "Got it." She thought about her studies, how boring they were, but also how helpful they could be. So when she glanced at the sea, she took a second to examine it. "Hang on, guys."

As she said that, the team stopped and looked over at the ocean, seeing ripples in the water. Before any of them could react, out from the water popped out an Okean. Glynda stepped back, letting the team handle it.

The Okean was a giant black toad like creature. Its eyed blood red, and when it slammed down on the beach, the sand under it was flooded with water that appeared from its body.

"Looks like fire is definitely a no go here." Yang stated the obvious, swapping over to lightning dust for Ember Celica. "Here's hoping it goes down easy with lightning."

Just as she shot out a shell of lightning, another Okean jumped out of the water, using an aqua blast to meet the lightning shell halfway, saving the other Okean from being damaged. Yang grit her teeth at that, while Glynda examined the team, waiting on how they'd respond.

* * *

Willow sighed, looking out the cabin window. "Why are you sulking when you could be training?" Raven asked, startling the white haired woman. "Still getting startled, huh? Thought you'd be used to this by now."

"I-I'm just worried about Weiss. She's on her first mission at the moment." Willow explained.

"You already heard your daughter before. She doesn't want you worrying over her so damn much. Besides, she's a huntress in training, meaning that kid is even more capable than you." Raven smirked, trying to rile Willow up.

It didn't work, as Willow simply nodded in response. "I know she is. Weiss has never shown me any reason to think she can't handle something like this, but I'm still her mother and I worry no matter what."

Raven crossed her arms, rolling her eyes at her words. "And that's what annoys her, idiot." Willow glared at her from the insult. "I'm not wrong. Now drop it. We still have work to do." Before Raven continued, she examined Willow's new outfit for a moment. "Hmm, didn't say it when you showed up today, but not bad on the gear you finally picked out."

She was wearing white knee high combat boots with red straps, while her long sleeve closed white coat, with blue lining was tied around the waist with a belt. Under the coat was a simple red v-shaped shirt, white buttons and at the base of the neckline was a blue broach she had put on inspired by her eldest daughter, Winter. While her pants were covered up by the coat, Willow was wearing white pants, with a red belt, while her family's snowflake design was on the back of her coat, since while Jacques may have owned the company, she knew what her family's true life was.

Willow conceded and got up from the chair. She walked over to the door with Raven and stepped out, both keeping pace with Willow's aura training. "What are we working on today?"

"Same as we normally do. Before you use your semblance, show me you can call forth your aura. I need to see if this month and a half hasn't gone to waste." Raven explained as she waited on Willow.

The white haired woman took a breath, nodding to her trainer as she focused on her aura. It didn't take nearly as long as before, ever since she's had so much time with training it. The light blue aura surrounded her, the calming feeling settling in as it slowly disappeared, showing Raven she had control of it.

"Not bad, but remember that aura isn't just something you call upon in time. It should be there the moment you need it." Raven reminded, showing the moment she focused on her aura, it flickered all over her body instantly.

"And I shouldn't waste so much of it on my semblance, I know." Willow said, expressing how much she's learned from the raven haired huntress. "I've been able to use up to five glyphs so far."

"Is that right?" Raven began to pull her blade out, causing Willow's eyes to go wide. "Don't worry. I'm not about to strike you. Way too early for that."

Willow watched as Raven planted her blade in the snow. "Then why unsheath it?"

Raven walked over, keeping her blade where it was. "Just in case, I'd rather keep it there for hand to hand. No sense in having a weapon on me."

"Hand to hand? But-." Willow gasped when Raven went in to punch her, but she instinctively held her hand out, a glyph blocking the fist, and getting Raven to smirk at her. "W-What was that for?!"

"Your reflexes are getting better. Good." Raven said, not letting up as she went in for another swing, so Willow countered with another glyph. Since she expected her to stop again when it was blocked, she didn't expected the raven haired huntress to sweep her legs, causing her to fall on the snow. "Not fast enough."

Willow groaned as she sat up in the snow, looking up at Raven with an annoyed look on her face. "You didn't tell me about hand to hand training…"

"Shouldn't have to. It's pretty basic, and besides, I wouldn't have gotten a good read on how well your reflexes are." Raven explained, helping the woman up.

"Ugh, well I just used two glyphs, so don't expect more than three now." Willow said, stretching a bit after being knocked down, but when she noticed the unamused look on Raven's face, she blushed a bit. "W-What?"

"Idiot. I don't expect you to only use your semblance in hand to hand. You'll drain all of your aura with that, and then what'll you have to defend yourself? Nothing." Raven stated.

Willow looked away for a moment, thinking about the day she stood up to her husband. Raven was right, if she had used too many glyphs, she'd be defenseless. "Y-You're right. I'm sorry."

Raven rolled her eyes. "No sense in saying sorry to me." She walked back over to her blade, confusing Willow. "Now unless you actually want to continue, say it."

"I do, yes." Willow said, watching the raven haired woman standing by her weapon, only for a moment as she quickly grabbed it and threw it right at the white haired woman, who gasped in shock. Luckily for her, Raven threw it to her side, distracting her as she ran in and punched her in the gut, knocking the air out of Willow, who stumbled back, but kept herself standing.

"Rule one, don't get distracted in a fight." Raven ran in for another punch, but Willow quickly crossed her arms, blocking the continued blows she received, only for Raven to smirk. "Rule two, don't drop your guard. Good job." As she was about to sweep her feet again, Willow used a glyph under her to quickly jump back. "Huh, didn't know you could use it like that yet."

Willow panted a bit, clenching her fists as she raised them up. "I've practiced a bit at home when you couldn't make it out here, so I learned some tricks on my own too."

"At least I know now you're not slacking off in that manor of yours, but that makes three glyphs used now. Two more and your aura is done." Raven used that to her advantage and charged at the woman, but when Willow tried to go for a punch of her own, it was too easy for Raven to dodge, only for her to go for a punch to the face.

Before her fist could meet its mark, Willow brought her right arm up to cover her face, blocking Raven's punch, but it took a bit of her aura down. " _I-I felt that… My aura. Okay, I can't use two glyphs now…"_

Knowing that, Willow used her left hand to grab Raven's arm, surprising the raven haired huntress. " _A grapple, huh?"_ Raven responded by punching Willow with her other fist, the white haired woman taking it as her aura would keep her from getting too hurt.

Willow bit her lip, as she did her best to keep her hold on Raven's other arm. She knew if she used two glyphs, she was done, so she made the last one count by surrounding Raven's arm with a black glyph, propelling her away as she let go of her arm.

Raven gasped as she was sent flying into the cabin wall, making Willow freeze up since she didn't expect her to get flung over that hard. "R-Raven!" She ran over, but almost fell when she realized how fatigued she was.

"Wow, shit… Not bad." Raven praised as she wiped off the snow from her outfit, showing Willow that she was just fine, surprising her a bit. "What? Did you think a shove like that would hurt? Sheesh, haven't I taught you enough about aura?"

Willow blushed in embarrassment, but the fatigue was getting to her as she fell on her knees, panting some more for breath. "S-Shut up, I didn't expect that was all."

Raven walked over, kneeling in front of her. "Then what was your plan if not that?"

"To push you away a bit and try to hit you after… I don't know." Willow sighed, feeling Raven lifting her onto her feet.

"A decent move for buying time, but not to win. You would've lost much easier because you lost more aura, but still, I'm impressed." Raven commented, walking the woman back into the cabin. "Sit."

Willow walked over to the bed, sitting softly down on it as she rubbed her own arm a bit. "Can you really blame me for not being able to know how to respond so easily? You never even told me we'd be working on hand to hand practice."

"It's a bit obvious that you should." Raven stated, throwing her a bottle of water, which Willow quickly caught. "Weapons are an extension of ourselves… I learned that years ago from Summer, so if we lose that extension, what do we have left?"

"Ourselves…" Willow answered instantly, knowing of Summer's words. "I understand, Raven… I just… I think more and more about when I have to defend myself, and-."

"And it's getting worse at home, right? I'm not an idiot." Raven said, earning a sigh from the white haired woman. "Slamming you against a wall like that, I can see why you feel you have to keep yourself in practice, which is why hand to hand will serve you well."

Willow nodded, agreeing with the woman, but it didn't make it any less saddening. To learn how to fight to protect herself from her own husband. "Would… Telling my children any of this be wrong?"

Raven shrugged. "It's not my business, Willow. You need to make that decision on your own."

"I'm looking for opinions, Raven…" Willow trailed off.

"And I don't have any on the matter. Your kids are yours, not mine. So if you feel like telling them what their dear old man is making you do, then go ahead. If not, then don't and keep up the charade." Raven said, earning a surprised look from Willow, but instead of being upset, she seemed happy with how she said that.

"I see. Thank you, Raven." Willow let out a small smile, taking a drink from the water bottle. "I suppose some rest will do me good for now." She laid on her side, looking at the time on the clock in the cabin. "I assume the usual hour will do?"

Raven nodded, taking her leave, but before she walked outside, she glanced over her shoulder. "I'll be waiting." She stepped out and sighed, thinking about the mission she was still needed for.

" _Finding time to train her isn't getting easier."_

After pulling up her scroll, Raven sent a message to her brother. The message was simple enough, asking if he had any leads on the Relentless yet. Summer was with him at the time, so instead of getting a message from Qrow, she was receiving a call from Summer.

"Uh, hey…" Summer spoke when Raven answered the call.

"What's wrong?" Raven asked, hearing the somber tone Summer was using.

Summer sighed, swapping over to the video call as she positioned her scroll to show the body that Qrow was examining. "Still nothing… And you know I don't like this, Raven."

"He's already dead, okay. That woman," She avoided using Lazuria's name in case Willow heard her. "Was the one that dealt with him, so relax. And what do you mean, still nothing? She led us to that body a few days ago. How hasn't anything been found on him?"

"I don't know, Raven. Still, Qrow is trying his best right now." Summer defended.

Hearing how she sounded, Raven sighed. "Look, if this isn't something you're up for, then switch with me. You train Willow, and I'll focus on the mission."

"N-No, Willow wouldn't advance as well as she has if she trained with me, and I can handle this. I just… I just hate defiling the dead. It just feels wrong." Summer remarked, but before Raven could say anything, she cut in again. "But I get we have to… To save her from this nightmare."

"Good. I was worried you were losing what made you a huntress in the first place." Raven said in a serious tone.

"Being a huntress is more than killing monsters and doing things we aren't comfortable with, Raven." Summer reminded.

"Not what I meant." Raven responded. "I'm talking about your drive to help people. It's always kept you going before, so don't lose it now, especially when it's something this important."

She didn't respond for a moment. Raven was about to say something, but Summer beat her to it. "I won't lose that… Thanks, Raven."

* * *

 **I'm sorry if Willow's combat outfit seems hard to picture. I'm terrible at describing clothes, and honestly if I could, I'd redo the look in a way that is more visualizing for everyone, but I didn't wanna delay the chapter.**

 **To JJ- Weiss' thoughts on the blood she tasted on the Strom during initiation is something she still can't get over, but you'll see how I deal with that. And yeah, Yang is a character I don't want to mess up on. Also don't forget, this is a real mission, so Alphas showing up can and will happen.**

 **To GoldElite245- There are definitely hints to it, and while early on it could go either way, well… We'll see. I'm not gonna make empty promises till I know it's a definite thing.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 59. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 60.**


	60. I'm Not Hurt!

**Here's chapter 60, everyone.**

* * *

"Any ideas, Ruby?" Blake called out to her team leader, dodging another aqua blast was fired at her. They were fast moving orbs of pressurized water. One hit from that would leave a nasty mark on their aura. "Because we aren't getting anywhere by just dodging!"

Ruby realized that as well, shooting Crescent Rose to her right to propel herself to the left, moving out of the way of an attack. "There's only two of them," She yelped when dodging another attack. "Ugh, so we just need to find the right window of time to fire back!"

Weiss swung Myrtenaster horizontally against the ground with earth dust, creating a rock wall to block the aqua blasts from reaching her, so she dropped her weapon for a moment. "Get behind the wall!" Once she relayed the message, she quickly picked her weapon back up with her teeth.

The team ran over, hiding behind the giant rock wall she created. "Good idea, ice wolf." Yang said with a thumbs up, but moved back when she felt the vibration of another aqua blast hitting the wall. "Well, any plans?"

"Two distract, two attack. Easy enough… Except for the whole… You know, not getting hit by one of those attacks." Ruby said, feeling another vibration from the aqua blasts. "We need to hurry too…"

"Works for me." Yang said, punching her fists together. "I can distract, since my semblance might not be so great here."

Blake spoke up. "I can be the second distraction. It'll be best since I won't have to use my semblance, and Ruby, since you use Crescent Rose to dodge attacks, it'll save you ammo too by not being one of the distractions."

"Right… Wait, why did the attacks stop?" Ruby asked, but her question was answered when the Okeans hopped over the wall, making the team gasp as they dispersed.

They weren't fast enough though, as the shockwave of the Okeans landing on the ground sent them tumbling away from each other. "Ugh, pairs of two are annoying… I can see why they matched up partners in initiation that way." Yang commented as she got up and fired off lightning shells, distracting the left Okean.

Another aqua blast was set off from the Okean, keeping it from being hurt, so Blake jumped in and began firing at the second one, getting its attention. As both were distracting them, Glynda was taking note of it all, nodding as she Weiss and Ruby got ready to attack.

" _They tend to overthink some scenarios, but at least they're capable."_

It didn't take long for Weiss to slash at the Okean that Blake was distracting, causing it to croaked out in pain, purple blood flowing out of the gash. Hearing the other Okean croaking in pain, the one Yang was distracting shot its tongue out, constricting the white wolf and making her gasp and drop her weapon.

Ruby was the first to respond to that, so she ran over, trying to slice the Okean's tongue off, but it whipped its tongue at her, hitting the rose girl with Weiss' body, making her gasp. "Weiss!"

The white wolf was struggling in the Okean's grip, unable to break free, so she growled. "Let go of me!" Her eyes widened when it lifted its tongue up, bringing her up with it, only for it to slam her down against the sand, making her cry out in pain, but that wasn't the end of it, as it began thrashing her around against the sand.

Ruby cried out for her partner, getting back to her feet to try and run over, but she was hit in the back by an aqua blast from the other Okean that Weiss had sliced. "Blake! Yang!" She pleaded for them to get to Weiss.

Yang and Blake ran over, refusing to let the frog Grimm do that again, but it responded with a horizontal swing. The blonde brawler didn't care and jumped over it, not wanting her friend to be stuck in its grip any longer. "Drop our ice wolf, you stupid frog!" She punched one of the eyes of it, popping it and making it drop the white wolf on the ground, the Okean backing away a bit as it croaked louder from the pain.

Blake followed up by slicing the tongue completely off, purple blood spurting out from it. The cat Faunus wasn't done yet, as she swapped her weapon to pistol form, firing off rounds into the eye that was popped, breaking through its head and out the other side.

The Okean fell, dead on the ground, but Yang knew it wasn't over yet, so she ran over to the other Okean that had attacked her sister. "Ruby, move!" She yelled to her sister, who was about to be hit by another aqua blast, but she used her semblance in time to move out the way, the sand under her being hit instead.

Ruby quickly looked over at her partner, who wasn't moving and on her side, so she ran over to her and knelt down. "W-Weiss… Weiss, are you okay? Please be okay!"

The white wolf groaned, opening her eyes as her vision was slightly blurry. "R-Ruby?"

Before she could say anything back, Ruby heard the sound of the Okean croaking in pain, so she turned around to see that Blake and Yang weren't the ones who caused it. Her eyes went wide when she saw the Okean was impaled by several ice shards, but her surprise wasn't because of that. "M-Ms. Goodwitch?"

The blonde professor had her crop extended, her eyes filled with hatred for the creature as she lowered her arm. "Whoa… Uh, Goodwitch looks pissed." Yang commented to her partner.

Blake didn't know what to say, noticing how angry the huntress looked, but she suddenly realized something. "Weiss…" She turned around and ran over to where the white rose pair was, Yang following close behind.

Weiss was groaning again when she attempted to get to her paws, feeling Ruby helping her up. "Stupid frogs… Ugh, it got its tongue on me… I'm really going to need a bath soon." When she noticed Ruby was giving her a worried look, the white wolf sighed. "Ruby-."

"I know… I'm just glad you're okay." The rose girl smiled, hugging her partner, not caring about the slime that was on her from the Okean's tongue.

"Gah! Ruby! Let me get this gross stuff off first!" The white wolf attempted to pull away, but Ruby held her tight. "Ruby Rose, let go this instant!"

Ruby shook her head, smiling and sighing in relief that her partner was okay. "I'll clean up afterwards too, Wolfy. So let me have this."

Weiss sighed in response. "You are such a hassle…"

Blake and Yang were glad that Weiss didn't suffer any serious injuries, and simply laughed a bit, finding it funny how Ruby refused to release her. In the middle of their laughter though, Glynda walked over, her voice not sounding pleasant. "Enough." The team, startled by how she spoke turned to face her. "Miss Rose, move away from Miss Schnee. Now."

The scythe user was taken aback by the order, so she slowly moved away from her partner. Glynda stepped up to Weiss, inspecting the white wolf, who looked a little confused. "W-What's wrong, Ms. Goodwitch?"

Glynda said nothing and circled around her, confusing the rest of the team at that point. When she reached down to her, Weiss backed away. "I'm seeing if you have any injuries, Miss Schnee."

"I-I'd rather you not touch my fur…" Weiss was only comfortable with a select few people touching her fur, so for Glynda to even try set her off. "I'm fine, Ms. Goodwitch. My aura took the brunt of the damage."

"Just because you rely on your aura, does not mean you aren't injured." Glynda said in a stern tone, causing Weiss' ears to flatten against her head.

Ruby wasn't liking that, so she spoke up. "Ms. Goodwitch, Weiss is okay now. You don't have to-."

"I was not speaking with you, Miss Rose." Glynda said, and Ruby took a step back, frowning a bit. Yang looked annoyed with Glynda, but since she was her teacher, she knew it wasn't a good idea to speak out against her. The blonde huntress crossed her arms. "Miss Schnee, you were thrashed about by an Okean. Just because we have aura, does not make us invincible, so I need to examine you."

Weiss looked down, whimpering a bit, surprising Glynda. "I-I don't like people touching my fur, Ms. Goodwitch."

"Miss Rose was clearly doing so moments ago." The huntress pointed out.

The white wolf lifted her head up, looking saddened. "Because I've allowed her to for awhile now. I'm not comfortable with everyone I know doing that… Only a few people…"

" _Lazuria was the same way…"_ Glynda thought to herself, but the new concern she had for Weiss was strong, since she reminded her too much of Lazuria. "Fine, but if that's the case, then Miss Rose, inspect your partner's injuries."

Weiss blushed at that. "W-Why is this something to worry over so much? I'm fine."

Before Glynda could speak, Yang cut in. "Yeah, seriously. I was kinda nervous too, but she's fine, Ms. Goodwitch. And we still have a lot left to do on this mission."

"Maybe so, but choosing to rush into another battle when one of your members is hurt-." Weiss' growled a little, startling Glynda.

"I'm not hurt!" Weiss gasped, realizing she had yelled at a teacher of hers, so she quickly lowered her head. "I-I'm sorry."

Ruby leaned over, rubbing her fur to calm her down. Glynda watched that for a moment, picturing herself as Ruby, and Weiss as Lazuria. It made the corners of her eyes water, so she turned away, arms crossed behind her arms. "V-Very well… Continue on with your mission then." She walked a bit away from them, since she was still supposed to be a shadowing huntress for the mission.

Weiss felt like the professor was angry with her, so she whimpered again, but suddenly she heard Ruby whispering to her. "It's okay. I'll speak to her for you. I'm the leader, so this is something I need to take care of, kay?" She spoke gently, hoping her partner would cheer up.

"I-I didn't mean to yell like that… I just… You know I hate people worrying over me." Weiss explained in a soft tone, whispering so Glynda couldn't hear.

"Yeah, and that's what I'm gonna get her to understand. I promise." Ruby smiled, choosing to lean in and kiss the white wolf on her forehead, making her blush in response. The rose girl giggled at that and poked Weiss' snout. "Hehe. You're easy to tease."

The white wolf grumbled in response, and Ruby walked over to the huntress. Yang checked up on Weiss. "Hey, didn't knew you had it in ya, ice wolf."

"W-What are you talking about?" Weiss questioned.

"You know, raising your voice to Goodwitch like that. I honestly thought I'd be the first one on the team that woulda yelled at a teacher." The blonde brawler commented.

Weiss shook her head, her ears flattened still. "I don't really feel like what I did is something to praise, Yang. She's our teacher."

"And she was starting to upset you. Yeah, I held back, but you wanted her to hear you, which she did." Yang rubbed her head a little, smiling when she saw the white wolf's tail sway. "You stood up for yourself, ice wolf."

"I still shouldn't have yelled like that." Weiss said, looking over to see Ruby trying to speak with the huntress.

"Ms. Goodwitch." Ruby said her name, waiting on her to respond.

"You have a mission to complete, Miss Rose. Do not waste time." Glynda warned as she spun around to face the rose girl.

Ruby stood, not budging on the subject at hand. "This has to do with Weiss. She's a member of my team, so no matter what you think, it's not a waste of time." She yelped when the huntress gave her a warning glare. "U-Uh, I mean that I think… Y'know, it'll be better for my team if you hear me out on this."

"On what, Miss Rose?" Glynda questioned as she crossed her arms, looking unamused.

"It's… My partner doesn't like that you were overly worried about her. It's not something she wants people to be like, so maybe… Lighten up?" Ruby looked nervous when she said that.

Glynda scoffed at her suggestion. "Clearly you four haven't paid much attention in class if you believe the way you're handling this mission is any good." Her comment was shocking to hear.

"What? But you were saying how well we did fighting the Strom Alphas." The team leader reminded, finding Glynda's anger to be unwarranted. "Just because one fight was a little lopsided for a bit-."

"Anything can happen out in the field, Miss Rose!" Glynda yelled, startling Ruby and the rest of the team. "Keep your eyes off of your partner for one moment, and that is the difference between life and death!"

Ruby was taken aback, seeing the blonde teacher trembling a bit. "I-I… What? I don't-."

"Enough! Just get back to your team and do what you were assigned for." Glynda ordered, turning away so they couldn't see the tears that began to fall down her cheeks. All she heard was Ruby walking away from her, not seeing the hurt look on the girl's face.

" _They're… Just kids… They don't know… They don't know what can be lost yet."_

When Ruby made it back to her team, Yang looked a little angry. "Hey, you okay, sis?" She asked, rubbing her sister's shoulder when she saw how hurt she looked from Glynda's words.

"Y-Yeah. I didn't think she would yell like that though…" Ruby trailed off, and Weiss slowly walked over to her, partially still sore from the thrashing she took.

The white wolf said nothing and leaned in on her girlfriend, nuzzling her to comfort the rose girl. Ruby smiled, hugging her partner as they both needed each other at that point.

Blake however eyed the blonde professor, knowing those words she spoke had meaning behind them, since she too knew a split second decision could be the deciding factor between life and death.

* * *

 **Even people like Glynda can't let go of the past completely, so her reaction was a bit much, yet in my opinion justified for her own worries. Even though the others themselves don't know the full story here.**

 **To JJ- Glad you like the Elementals I have in this. Willow honestly can't take Raven out in a fight, seeing as she's just a beginner, even with a surprise follow up attack, but she is definitely improving. As for Summer, she knows her morals and how to help people, so her team has faith in her.**

 **To the guest on chapter 59- Yeah while I just can't say I enjoyed Volume 5, I try to have my own twist on the characters. It's more fun than sticking to canon. And with Raven, it's easier to work with her character than just a tribe leader that betrays everyone she comes in contact with.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 60. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 61.**


	61. Getting The Band Back Together

**Here's chapter 61, everyone.**

* * *

Qrow shook his head, looking at the corpse he searched as best he could. "These guys had to have known people would think of tracking them down… This isn't gonna be an easier task than we thought." The scythe wielding huntsman remarked, taking a drink from his flask.

Summer sighed, doing her best to not look at the corpse. "So we defiled a corpse for nothing… Wonderful." She and Qrow were in an abandoned warehouse at the moment, with Summer sitting near one of the dirtied metal tables.

"I don't like it either, but you gotta be able to hear my sister out sometimes." Qrow suggested.

The blacksmith turned in her chair to face her old teammate. "I have, and I understand what we need to do." She assured him that she wouldn't argue. "Let's see what else we can do."

Qrow nodded, lifting the corpse over his shoulder. "I'll deal with this first. Nothing on him is useful besides maybe the outfit he wears." As he walked over to the exit, Summer took note of the clothes the Relentless member had.

An olive colored jacket with straps to hold daggers in, and on the back had a symbol of two swords, and the words Peace Keeper above them. Something the Relentless believed they were due to their views on Lazuria's kind. The deceased member also wore light brown tactical pants, again with dagger holders for quick and easy kills, and their combat style boots matched the color of their jacket. That specific member also had a single pin on the front of the jacket. The pin of a wolf head, showing what kind of animal he was tied to hunting down.

" _Seeing those people in those outfits must terrify Lazuria… Raven was right, I need to set aside my concerns if we're going to help her escape this kind of life."_

As she thought to herself, Summer remembered something that Qrow and Raven told her, so she ran outside to where Qrow had gone. The usually drunk huntsman stopped walking, still holding the corpse over his shoulder when he heard Summer. "Qrow, hold on."

"Hmm? What?" Qrow asked, laying the body down on the ground. "We really can't be wasting time with a body out in the open, Summer. Even with our jobs, this kind of stuff is frowned upon."

"That's my line." Summer joked. "And I wasn't trying to stop you. I was thinking, what if we set up an ambush? You know, for whenever the next time Lazuria is attacked."

Qrow raised an eyebrow. "If you're trying to keep her from killing anyone-."

"It's not because of that." Summer cut him off. "Look, obviously we found nothing to trace back to The Relentless with a dead man, so what if we take one in alive? That may be our best shot."

"Well then, I honestly wasn't expecting you of all people to imply interrogation." Qrow remarked. "You sure you're okay with that?"

Summer nodded. "Personally, I don't want to be the one to interrogate them, but I do get it. Lazuria needs us, and I'll continue doing what I can to help her. If not for her, then for snowflake."

"Still calling that kid snowflake, huh." Qrow said, picking the body back up as he began finding a place to bury it. "I'll handle the interrogation, if and when we can take one of those guys in, but look, I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You're not forcing me to do any of this, Qrow." Summer assured, walking over to the dirt ground near the warehouse. "This may be the best spot." While he was an enemy, Summer and Qrow still chose to bury the dead.

Qrow made sure to take the clothes from the body before burying it. "I'm glad you're here on this mission with us." He said to the blacksmith. "I don't think I could've handled dealing with my sister the whole time."

Summer chuckled a bit, finding a lighthearted moment in the craziness that she was now involved in. "Raven would say the same to me about you."

"Yeah, I'm sure she would." Qrow muttered, picking up the clothes that The Relentless member had. "Infiltration could work too, if that's an idea you think would work."

"How come you're asking me? Raven is the one best at infiltration in our team." The blacksmith reminded.

Qrow shrugged. "My sister isn't here right now, and I don't feel like giving her a call. So, I figured asking you would be the next best thing."

"Let's figure out where these people are first before we even think of infiltration tactics." Summer suggested, walking back into the warehouse with her old teammate. "Have you spoken to Tai about this yet?"

"No, and I probably won't. He'll bite my head off for asking you to get involved already." Qrow noted, dropping the clothes on one of the tables as he took a seat. "Besides, he's retired."

Summer sat next to the huntsman. "You know, saying he's retired is one of the reasons why he gets annoyed with you." She chuckled a bit. "Tai just doesn't take as many jobs ever since Ruby was born."

"Eh, I call that a retirement still." The old crow threw his legs up on the table as he took a drink from his flask again. "Stay at home dad, it can get you rusty."

In response, Summer scowled and crossed her arms. "If I recall, the last time you both sparred, he wiped the floor with you. And he's been on a mission all by himself a few weeks ago, since Ruby and Yang are in school now."

Qrow rolled his eyes. "And if I recall, I was drunk that day."

"You're drunk every day." Summer deadpanned.

As he was about to take another drink, he shrugged. "Point still made. Tai doesn't need to be involved here, but if you really want him to," He passed her his scroll. "You make the call. I was the one who got Raven in this, and she asked for you, so it's your turn if you want the band back together."

Summer playfully rolled her eyes and grabbed his scroll, finding it unlocked already so she dialed Tai's number. "We're gonna have to find someone to watch over Zwei."

"Or you can have Tai ask him to join along, since it would be his turn to ask next." Qrow joked.

"I mean, it wouldn't be the first mission we brought him along for." Summer reminded, hearing Tai's voice a moment later.

"Summer, hey. How's the mission going?" Her husband asked, with sounds of cooking food being heard in the background, with some barking included. "Zwei, wait a few more minutes. Ugh, this little guy is still impatient."

The blacksmith giggled a bit. "That's because we spoiled him way too much, but, um, I was actually hoping to talk to you about this mission we're on."

"Okay, well, lay it on me." Tai waited.

"That's the thing… We… Haven't told you everything about it." Summer started, knowing her husband wouldn't like hearing that she's kept some details from him.

The sound of cooking stopped and Summer frowned. "And what would that be?" His voice was more filled with concern than anything if Summer had to keep the mission details from him.

"For one, this has something to do with an entire group no one knows about. One that hunts down people." Summer sighed. "They're… Not the people we can toy around with, Tai. They're just as bad as Grimm."

With a few moments of taking in that information, Summer heard her husband walking somewhere since his boots were loud when he stepped around the wood floor. "A group of hunters… That aren't like us. Man, this is not something I'm happy with you keeping from me, but… I'll hear you out more on this."

"Thank you, Tai." Summer smiled, but grimaced as she had to explain the rest. "There's this woman. She's been hunted for a little over seventeen years at this point, and she ran into Raven one day. After that, she found a way to contact Qrow and requested help in dealing with these people."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on. Seventeen years? What? How can anyone be hunted for that long? It doesn't make sense." Tai noted.

"There's a lot to tell you about this, and I'm sorry for not letting you know sooner, but I was hoping… Maybe you'd like to tag along on this one." Summer explained, hoping her husband would be okay with it.

"You know I don't need to be asked, Summer." He took a breath. "Gonna just have to find a place for Zwei. You think the girls wouldn't mind if I send him over to Beacon?"

Summer grinned. "Oh, you know they would love that."

"Right, well, I'll get some things prepared. You can fill me in on the rest of the details later." Tai said.

"Before you do, I… This mission, is very important," Summer thought about Willow and Weiss at that moment. "So, we really need to make sure that we give it our all. Okay."

Hearing how his wife sounded, Tai spoke in a serious, yet gentle tone. "I understand. You know you can count on me, Summer."

"I know… I love you." Summer spoke softly.

"I love you too." Tai said in the same tone.

"We'll be in Atlas, so… Uh, you know, try not to think about heights when you're on the airship." Summer warned.

Qrow laughed in response, and Tai heard him. "Ugh, why did you have to say that with him around…"

Summer rubbed the back of her head and chuckled nervously. "Heh, well, uh, y'know, I just worry about you and your… Little fear of heights is all."

"Grown man still afraid of heights! Ha!" Qrow mocked, and Summer glared at him, while she heard her husband growling over the scroll.

"Remind me to punch him when I get there." Tai said to his wife.

"Will do." Summer replied, Qrow not hearing the context of what she was replying to. "Oh, and you'll have to send Zwei to Beacon when the girls get back from their mission. I'm sure Ruby or Yang told you about it by now."

"They did, and yeah, I'll wait to see when they get back before I head out." Tai assured. "Hear that, boy? You're gonna go see Ruby and Yang soon." Summer heard the corgi yipping happily in the background, making her smile.

"Maybe this time you try not sending him in a postal tube?" Summer suggested.

"I don't see the problem with it. Zwei likes it." Tai commented, earning a sigh and facepalm from his wife.

* * *

The day went on, and Team RWBY was able to take down a few more Grimm on the way down the long path. "What is that, twenty Grimm at this point? I feel like we can take on a lot more to be honest."

"Elementals are not to be toyed with, Miss Xiao Long." Glynda sternly reminded. "Just because you can handle a lot of Beowolves, does not mean you can match that with Elementals."

Yang rolled her eyes, not letting the blonde professor see that, since she was still annoyed with her for yelling at her sister. "Yeah, yeah."

Glynda found that response to be disrespectful. "Excuse me?"

"I was just saying I get it, okay." Yang replied, still walking forward, while Blake looked a little nervous for her. "I'm not an idiot about this stuff."

"No one said you were, Miss Xiao Long. I am just-." Before she could finish, Yang stopped and took a breath, turning to face her.

Her eyes looked serious, and she wasn't about to make jokes. "We're not kids, Ms. Goodwitch. I just know, and have faith in my team on how much more we can get done today."

Glynda had to remember that she was a shadowing huntress, so her personal feelings on the matter had to be dropped. "Very well."

Yang nodded, acknowledging the huntress as she turned back around and walked with her team. "Hey, you okay?" Blake whispered.

"Mhmm, just couldn't stay quiet." Yang assured. "Besides, if ice wolf can speak up, I can too." She grinned, showing Blake she was actually fine.

Weiss' wolf ears perked up. "I heard that, Xiao Long."

"Bleh." The blonde brawler stuck her tongue out at the white wolf, while Blake found it funny that she could go from being serious, to ridiculous in no time at all. It's one of the many reasons she enjoyed being around her.

Blake blushed when she thought about that, hoping no one would see. Luckily for her, Yang was paying too much attention on the back and forth she and Weiss were doing. "I swear, one of these days, I will bite you." The white wolf threatened.

"Uh, you kind of already did." Yang reminded. "Do you not remember when you were a little pu-." The blonde brawler yelped when Weiss growled at her and spun around. "Oh, uh, I mean… Please don't bite me?"

Weiss rolled her eyes, turning back around as she continued sniffing out any Grimm. "Just let me focus on this, you oaf." Since the team fought multiple Grimm in the area, Weiss was able to find new scents to track.

Ruby giggled, imagining her partner chasing her sister around to bite her. "Be careful, sis. I'm not gonna help you if you make Weiss angry with you."

Yang grumbled, finding that her sister would betray her if that happened. "Such a little traitor."

Glynda observed the team's interactions, remembering her old team. While not exactly like the first year team in front of her, she still missed what they had. Especially her partner, but there was no way going back to that, at least in her mind.

The one person she paid close attention to most was obviously the white wolf, but seeing her trying to track down Grimm was impressive. Mostly because she thought about Lazuria's idea of doing so years ago. " _What am I doing… She's not Lazuria. I can't let this affect me."_

"Ruby, eyes up." Weiss warned, a few Beowolves were hiding out over a hill to their left, so the white wolf growled and caught Myrtenaster with her teeth when Ruby tossed it to her.

Blake and Yang quickly looked over at the hill. The Beowolves knowing that the girls were aware of their presence, slowly ran over it, revealing themselves as they roared out, ready to fight them. The team charged at the Grimm, Glynda noting that it wouldn't be a difficult fight with Beowolves.

Glynda somehow managed to smile, watching them cut down the Beowolves with ease. Maybe it was seeing Weiss not taking any damage, or maybe she was starting to feel the way she used to feel after accepting what Lazuria could really do in her own wolf form.

* * *

 **Team STRQ is still fun to write, and while Yang can have fun on missions, it's shown here she's not an idiot, so I'm still trying to show she can have a fun time, while also having her be smart about what she says and does.**

 **To the guest on chapter 60- Oh don't worry. This story isn't close to finished, and Weiss will be using her human form a lot more with what I have planned. So she will be able to fight outside of her wolf form for sure.**

 **To JJ- Glynda and Lazuria were close friends, and I'd like to explore that more with possible flashbacks or one of them talking to someone about their past. Either way, you'll get to see their story in some way. And from Weiss' early concerns of Ruby being overly protective of her, she wasn't about to stay quiet with Glynda fussing over nothing too.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 61. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 62.**


	62. Extension

**Here's chapter 62, everyone.**

* * *

The team set up camp on the coast, knowing the perimeter of where they were camped out was safe enough, but at least one of them would keep watch. "Okay, who wants first watch?" Ruby asked as she walked out of her tent.

"I can do it." Yang volunteered.

"Let me." Blake said in response, confusing her partner. "You spent a good bit of your aura, more than us, so rest up first."

"Come on. I can handle-." The blonde brawler stopped herself when Blake crossed her arms. "Ugh, alright, alright. I'll take second watch then."

Weiss was still in her wolf form at the time. "Honestly, it may be best for me to continue using my semblance for now. The amount of aura I use would be lost even more so after resting up."

Ruby nodded. "Right. Well, do you wanna take third or fourth watch? I'm good either way."

"I'll take third. Four hours is enough time for me to get some aura back up in case a fight breaks out." Weiss assured, laying down on the sand.

"Huh? Wouldn't you rather sleep in one of the tents?" Ruby asked, feeling a little nervous about her girlfriend sleeping in the open area.

Weiss shook her head. "I enjoy the breeze here. It'll honestly help me sleep better."

The team leader smiled, finding that to be cute, so she kneeled down and rubbed her partner's fur. "Alright, that's fair. Want me to stay out here with you?"

"Ruby Rose, you are not about to get a cold out here. My fur keeps me warm, and before you tell me it isn't that cold, do not underestimate mother nature." Weiss said, earning a snort from Yang. "And what is so funny, Xiao Long?"

"Oh, y'know, just how you phrased that." Yang snickered.

The white wolf blushed a little, looking away from the blonde brawler. "S-Shut up. It can get cold out here, you oaf."

"Well yeah, but really, Weiss? 'Don't underestimate mother nature'." Yang repeated in a mocked tone, earning a growl from the white wolf.

Weiss sat up, glaring at the blonde. "My threat is still in play, Xiao Long."

"Easy, ice wolf. You know fire would beat ice any day." Yang smirked, finding it fun to possibly spar with the white wolf if need be. "I mean, if you want me to prove that… I'd oblige."

"Ruby, may I have permission to bite your older sister?" Weiss requested, earning a light chuckle and a nod from her girlfriend. Weiss' fear of losing control and hurting her friends did not come into play here, since she knew she wouldn't actually bite Yang, and was simply trying to scare the blonde.

"Uh… Wait, I was just… Y'know, joking around." Yang started to back away a bit, so she looked over at her partner. "B-Blake, a little help here?"

The cat Faunus shook her head, sitting next to one of the tents as she continued reading her book in silence. "Xiao Long…" Weiss growled, and Yang yelped as she started running off. "Get back here, you oaf!" The white wolf sprinted to catch the blonde brawler, while Ruby giggled, and even Blake couldn't help but chuckle lightly while watching her partner run away.

Glynda was in one of the tents, sighing to herself as she peeked out to see what was happening. " _These kids…"_ She watched Weiss chasing Yang, which in turn actually managed to make her smile a little. " _I suppose I should take Ozpin's advice and let them be kids awhile longer… "_

"Ice wolf! Stop chasing me!" Yang pleaded, jumping over a rock when the white wolf almost pounced on her, but she managed to trip over and cried out when she spun around on her back and saw Weiss standing over her. "Oh, uh… Come here often?"

Weiss was glaring down at her blonde friend. "Jokes will not help you here, Xiao Long."

"Um… So what would?" Yang asked, feeling Weiss' paws pinning her arms down.

"Stop. Being. An. Oaf." Weiss growled, and Yang whined.

"Come on, ice wolf! I was just teasing…" The pout on her face made Weiss roll her eyes.

The white wolf moved off of her friend, letting Yang sit up as she sighed. "Fine…" She trailed off a bit, since she noticed the dry blood on Yang's clothes still. "Why haven't you cleaned that blood yet…"

"Huh?" Yang looked down, seeing the dry blood. "Oh, we've been kinda busy." She realized she messed up on her promise. "Aw, crap. I forgot you wanted me to clean it. Look, I'll do that right now, okay?"

Weiss' ears drooped against her head. "I… You don't have to."

Yang hated seeing anyone of her friends sad, so she scooted over and rubbed her head. "Hey, come on, ice wolf. Don't worry. We have an entire ocean in front of us. It'll be quick."

"I-It's not that… I just… I hate thinking about blood." Weiss admitted.

"Oh, how come?" Yang asked, hoping she'd relent.

Weiss whimpered a little, her tail laid soft against the sand. "Not yet. I-I'd rather tell Ruby about it first. She's… She's my-."

"Girlfriend." Yang finished for her, the white wolf blushing heavily at that, though Yang couldn't tell with the fur. "I get it, but maybe if Ruby was here with us? Would that be better?"

She felt it was a better time than any. "Y-Yeah. I promised her I would."

Yang nodded, rubbing her head again as she stood up. "I'll go get her, unless you wanna come and talk at the camp."

After looking back over at their campsite, the white wolf felt it would be best for Blake to also know, so she nodded. "The camp works." She spoke softly, walking with Yang over to their camp.

Blake noticed them walking back over and lowered her book. "Did you get some exercise from that?"

Her partner grumbled. "Ugh, you and my sister are such traitors."

"Uh huh." Blake looked over at Weiss, noticing her drooped ears, which she understood the feeling as well. "Weiss, what's wrong?"

"I'll tell you in a minute, Blake. Yang… Could you-." Before she finished, Yang nodded and ran over to where Ruby was sleeping, so the white wolf sighed, noticing Blake's concerned expression. "Just let me explain when Ruby gets here, okay?"

Blake remained silent, nodding to the girl she once ignored. When Yang brought her sister out of the tent and to the white wolf, she sat her down. "Weiss, is this about-?"

"Yes. I felt it was a good time to bring it up." Weiss took a breath. "During initiation… I… Ruby was hurt by a Strom." The memory was clear to Ruby, who stayed silent. "I was so… Angry about that, so I used my semblance on instinct." A slight tremble. "I fought it, and won, but… It was how I won that scared me."

Yang rubbed the back of her head, finding it hard to understand. "Scared? But you saved Ruby."

"I know that," Weiss sniffled. "Ruby, Blake, Yang… I… I bit into its neck until it stopped moving, and tasted its blood." A breeze blew passed, the rest of the team silent, and their eyes wide open from what she said. After seeing how they reacted, she lowered her head to avoid their gazes.

Ruby was the first to move, her thoughts on the day Weiss and her sparred. She stood in front of her partner, the white wolf only seeing Ruby's boots on the ground since her head was still lowered, so she slowly lifted her head up, seeing the frown on her partner's face. "That's what you meant that day."

"W-What?" Weiss' ears stayed flattened against her head.

"That day your semblance got a little stronger. You said it was like with the Strom, so… I get it now, but Weiss, we talked about this already. You don't have to be afraid of-." Ruby was cut off.

"It's not about losing control," Weiss looked to the blood, specifically the blood. "Ever since that day, I don't know… Blood is… I don't know. It was on my lips, Ruby."

Ruby reached over to Weiss' wolf pendant. She held it softly. "You saved me."

"I know…" Weiss replied softly.

"You saved my life, Weiss. It's because of what you did, that I'm still here." Ruby hugged her, rubbing her cheek against Weiss'. "Can I tell you what my nightmare was? The one before we got to Beacon." Weiss was surprised Ruby still remembered that, so she nodded. "I was… Alone, in a town… And I saw my friends from Signal, being attacked by Grimm… The blood that was around was terrifying."

"R-Ruby… I had no idea." Weiss nuzzled her gently.

"It's okay, because I know it's just a nightmare." Ruby pulled away, still choosing to rub her girlfriend's fur. "That's why I know how you're feeling, and I promise I'll make sure you won't see blood on me."

Weiss whimpered, hating how she said that. "That's not a promise you should make. I… Ugh! I hate this!" She got on her paws and started walking away from her team, ignoring their calls for her to come back.

Glynda heard the yell and stepped out of the tent she was in. "What is going on out here? Three of you should be asleep right now if-." She noticed Weiss was a bit away from them. "Why is Miss Schnee over there?"

Blake and Yang would have said something, but Ruby beat them to it. "I-It's my fault. I'll go talk-."

"Enough." Glynda walked passed the rose girl as she made her way to the white wolf, but she glanced over her shoulder before getting too far. "Whoever isn't on watch, get the sleep you'll need."

The team didn't want to take that order, but they knew staying up would cause problems for later shifts, so Ruby and Yang got in their tents to get some rest, hoping Weiss would be okay.

Blake watched the blonde professor, wondering what she could even say to Weiss to help her. " _I had no idea she had this problem."_

Glynda made it over to the white wolf, who was faced away from her. "Go away, Ruby…" Weiss only assumed it was her partner, but when she turned around, she was surprised to see the huntress. "M-Ms. Goodwitch, I'm sorry, I-."

"Miss Schnee, you should be resting, close to your team." Her tone was less stern than usual.

"Personal issues…" Weiss chose not to explain more.

"I see. Well, out here, you can't let those personal issues affect your actions. There's no telling when a Grimm will show up, Miss Schnee," Her voice softened. "If there is something wrong-."

"The person you knew," Weiss said, cutting her off. "Had she ever… Bitten a Grimm?"

Glynda knew she was talking about Lazuria. "If you mean the woman who had a similar semblance to yours, yes, she did. Why do you ask, Miss Schnee?"

"Because I did it once… It was against a Strom during initiation." Weiss sighed, hating how she had to recount the memory more than once. "I bit into its neck to kill it, and the blood on me… It just scares me."

Lazuria had a similar problem herself, and Glynda knew that. "Miss Schnee, I understand that it may scare you, but this is your semblance. The woman I knew, she was the same. Unable to cope with the idea of biting into something with her semblance, but you must realize this." She took a deep breath. "Our weapons are an extension to ourselves, and that also goes the same for our semblances. Whether you are shooting at a Beowolf, cutting into a Boarbatusk, or biting into a Strom, you are using your abilities, your gift to protect those who can't protect themselves."

Weiss was taken aback. The teacher who was scolding her hours ago, was now showing her it was okay to use her semblance in the way she had. "An… Extension."

"Yes. For us to be considered protectors of humanity, we push passed the limitations we have set for ourselves, whether that be our physical limitations, or our own personal barriers." Glynda remarked.

"What if I can't break free of it?" Weiss asked, her voice filled with worry still.

Glynda crossed her arms, giving her a stern look. "Is that what a huntress in training should be asking? You enrolled and were accepted into Beacon, Miss Schnee. I expect you, as well as your team to graduate."

The white wolf took her words to heart. She was asking a lot out of herself at such an early stage of her huntress career. It wasn't fair of her to do to herself, so she got on her paws and took a breath. "I apologize, Ms. Goodwitch."

Her arms were still crossed, not letting that be the end of it. "Miss Schnee, the woman who I knew those years ago, she didn't allow this to keep her down. So instead of apologizing, tell me, do you wish to use your semblance in the way you have been, or do you wish to extend it past the limitations you once believed were there?"

The way she spoke. It was like she practiced it in a mirror.

" _This must be because of the woman she knew… I guess there really are others out there that have dabbled in the issues I keep having. I'm such a dolt."_

"Miss Schnee. Your answer?" Glynda snapped her out of her thoughts, tapping her boot against the sand.

"I'd like to learn more about my semblance. If that means I can use it in ways that I didn't know I could, then I'll try… No, I'll do it." Weiss announced confidently.

Glynda nodded, finding it nostalgic to help the white wolf with this specific problem. "As a teacher, one who won't sugarcoat a lesson, this is one you yourself will have to face head on, Miss Schnee. Like you… She was afraid at first too, but after learning, no, growing, she became one of the greatest in our school."

Weiss' tail began to sway happily. "She sounds like an amazing person."

"Yes… She was. Now I suggest you get some rest. Miss Belladonna is the one on first watch, so I don't want to see you, Miss Rose, or Miss Xiao Long risking any sleep." Glynda said as she turned around to head back to camp.

The white wolf smiled, walking close behind, ready to dig deeper into her 'semblance'.

* * *

 **Weiss has more info on her mother, well, her birth mother than she thought. So let's see what she'll do with the knowledge of extending her abilities passed what they can be. Also, sorry for the little later than usual post for when this was originally posted.**

 **To JJ- Haha, yeah I thought it be funny to give him a fear of heights. To be honest, I have a bit of a fear of heights too. Anyways, Zwei will be showing up as he's always fun to write in, and maybe he'll be involved in fights too. We'll see.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 62. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 63.**


	63. Mission Complete

**Here's chapter 63, everyone.**

* * *

"Are you sure you're okay?" Ruby asked her girlfriend while rubbing her fur a little, the white wolf swaying her tail from the feeling as she nodded.

"Yes. I have a lot to learn, Ruby. My semblance isn't easy to get… But I can't let that stop me." Weiss said, moving a bit away to reach for Myrtenaster. "Now no more questions on it. We have a mission to do still."

Ruby proudly grinned, pulling Crescent Rose out as she was pumped up from Weiss' words. "Yeah we do!" As she cheered, Blake and Yang walked over, weapons at the ready.

"Another day of hunting." Yang smirked, her gauntlets loaded for battle.

Blake kept Gambol Shroud in blade form, finding her partner's enthusiasm to be a ray of sunshine. "Try not to burst another eye out this time."

Yang chuckled. "No promises."

The team had already packed up their camping equipment by the time they were ready to continue hunting, so the day went on like the other. Battles were fought, Grimm blood was shed. Still, Weiss wasn't ready to use her 'semblance' the way she and Glynda spoke about the night before.

Cutting them down with Myrtenaster was good enough for the time being, and she would only resort to fighting Grimm another way if she had to. Ruby on the other hand was doing her best to keep an eye on her team. As a leader, she didn't worry too much about herself, but chose to care more about what her team was able to do.

"Weiss, to your left!" Ruby called out, swinging her scythe at another Beowolf, bisecting it and watching as it faded away upon death.

Her partner blocked an incoming claw attack from her left, thanks to Ruby's warning. She growled and spun around, slashing at the Beowolf that attempted to attack her. " _Almost got hit on a blind spot. I need to thank her after this."_

The white wolf was able to scare a hit on the Beowolf's neck, killing it and watching it fade away, like the other Ruby killed. "Blake, jump!" Yang yelled to the cat Faunus, who did as she said and jumped up, only for Yang to fire a shot where she was and nailing another Beowolf in the chest.

Blake swapped Gambol Shroud to its pistol form, quickly firing multiple rounds at the other Beowolf next to the one Yang had shot. Both had gone down rather easily, since Beowolves were considered the weakest Grimm to fight.

"And that makes another twelve Beowolves down." Yang walked over to Blake after the Grimm in that part of the coast were killed. She raised her hand up and grinned. "Good job, partner."

The cat Faunus hesitated for a moment, but after seeing the grin on Yang's face, she let out a small smile of her own and high fived the blonde brawler. "Not a lot of ammo used, and our aura hasn't taken any damage, so yeah, I'd have to agree."

"Don't forget that we kicked butt." Yang chuckled as she set Ember Celica back into its non combat mode, only after taking a look around and seeing nothing in the area. "So, should we start checking over the hills soon?"

Ruby heard the question and looked to Glynda. "Ms. Goodwitch, do you think-?"

"This is a mission your team is in charge of, Miss Rose. So only resort to going to me for advice, or help, if absolutely necessary." Glynda said, surprising the rose girl.

"Oh, uh, right." Ruby took a second to think. "Yeah, I think i t would be good. Just because there aren't Grimm on the coast, doesn't mean there won't be any on the hills next to it."

Weiss nodded in agreement, unable to speak with her weapon in her teeth, so the team made their way to the hills, finding more Grimm to take down for the miners that would be brought in after their mission was complete.

As they continued fighting, the white wolf of the team would think more and more about her combat skills, as well as the woman that Glynda had known. In her mind, if one person out there had abilities like hers, than she can do the same.

* * *

Two days had gone by, and the team had done their best to clear out as much Grimm as they could. Still, they were tired, ready to collapse as the third day in a row of hunting proved to be quite taxing on the four girls. They may be huntresses in training, but it was only their first mission.

"Okay… So… I think I can say this for the rest of us, but I am beat." Yang said as she wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead. "I didn't think I'd be this tired only after like, three days."

"You'll find that it only gets harder from here, Miss Xiao Long, but… I can say I am quite impressed with you all. In these three days, you've done well." Glynda praised, but kept a stern expression. "Don't think I'm going to not point out your flaws in the report though."

The team groaned, wishing she would've left that part out, but before they could do anything else, out from the water, the tongue of an Okean launched out and aimed right for Ruby, who gasped when it got close.

Right before it could wrap itself around her, Glynda had blocked it with a rune like barrier, protecting the girl. "Shit, we missed one." Yang cursed under her breath.

Glynda watched as the Okean jumped out of the water, shooting aqua blasts immediately, but it wasn't hard for the blonde huntress to block more of the shots. She chose to handle that one herself, raising her crop up and raising five dozen ice shards, surprising the team, as they didn't expect that much dust use.

As they were raised and angled toward the Okean, who tried to shoot its tongue at Glynda, but she slightly moved her crop, holding the tongue with her semblance, and as it was trying to pull back, the blonde huntress sent out her ice spikes, impaling it to death.

Yang whistled at the performance. "Wow, that was, uh, pretty badass. You made it look easy."

Glynda didn't care to gloat, so she simply returned her crop to its resting place and faced the team. "Since you're all exhausted, I felt it was time to allow you some rest."

Ruby smiled, sitting back on the sand. "Thanks, Ms. Goodwitch." She sighed happily, feeling proud of the work she and her team did that day. "Our first mission…" The scythe wielder looked up at the evening sun, taking in the fresh breeze.

Weiss laid down next to her, her tail swaying a bit. "Why do I feel like you're about to make a cheesy speech, you little red dork." The blush on Ruby's face made Weiss chuckle a bit. "Were you really about to?"

"N-No! I was just saying how great it feels to actually go on a mission… And maybe add a few words of… Um, praise?" Ruby tried covering it up.

"Uh huh. You were so about to make a speech." Weiss closed her eyes, knowing her partner was pouting at her. "Don't worry though, I think you could make a good cheesy speech any day of the week."

Ruby slumped in defeat, earning some laughter from her older sister. "I'd love hearing that, sis." Yang joked as she sat next to her embarrassed sister.

Blake didn't feel like ganging up on Ruby, and instead decided to remind the blonde of something. "If I remember right, I think I heard you talking to yourself in the mirror one time, Yang."

The blonde brawler's eyes widened, and she quickly jumped to her feet to cover her partner's mouth. "We soooo don't need to talk about that!"

"Wait, no, now I need to hear this." Ruby smirked, getting a look of fear from Yang.

"No you don't!" Yang countered, and Blake pulled away from her. "B-Blake, don't you dare say anything, or-."

"She was complimenting her own hair, telling herself how no one can compete and how beautiful she is." Blake nonchalantly explained, Yang's almost going pale as she blushed heavily from that.

Ruby bursted out laughing, falling on her back as she started tearing up from what she was just told. "Ha! Yang, you haven't done that since you were ten!"

"Shut it, Ruby!" Yang shouted, and the team enjoyed their time of relaxation, even if it was at Yang's expense.

Glynda however wasn't about to join in on their shenanigans, so she made the call to the Bullhead pilot that brought them to the coast in the first place. It wasn't the cleanest mission, but Team RWBY got it done, and that's what mattered. Not only that, but Glynda was able to have a chance at reliving old memories of the white wolf she once knew.

* * *

"You guys get all the fun." Nora pouted, both Team RWBY and JNPR were hanging out together in their dorm, JNPR's to be exact, while Ruby was telling them all about their mission. "All we got to do was escort some people…"

"And we got them to safety. That's the important part, Nora." Ren noted, trying to get his close friend to see the good in what they did, over the enjoyment of it.

"Well sure, that's all great… But we still haven't been able to show off our stuff!" Nora whined, while Jaune seemed a bit happier than usual.

Yang noticed that, so she scooted over. "And what's got you so happy, my fellow blonde?"

Jaune was a little startled by the sudden question. "Huh, oh, uh, nothing really. I'm just glad our mission went well." While he didn't want to say it outright, the fact this his teammates didn't get injured was the real relief.

"Heh, well I heard from Pyrrha that you made some pretty good callouts. Not bad, vomit boy." Yang patted his back, and the boy groaned at the nickname.

"Can we not stick with that nickname…" Jaune pleaded, earning a chuckle from the other blonde in the group.

"Eh, if it ain't one you want, I can give you a freebie on it. Hmm, just gotta think of something else for ya." Yang said, and Jaune could only hope that she wouldn't call him something even worse.

Weiss scowled at the blonde. "And why didn't I get a freebie all those years ago, Xiao Long?"

"Because back then, I didn't have the freebie system going." Yang grinned, and Weiss rolled her eyes, having used her 'semblance' to finally change back into being human.

Nora perked up. "Wait, you have a nickname system in general?" Yang shrugged at that, while Nora looked excited. "You need to come up with nicknames for all of us."

"Whoa, Whoa, calm down there. This girl can only come up with so many nicknames." The blonde brawler said about herself, leaning her back against one of the beds. "Just give it time, and I might come up with stuff for each of ya."

Weiss stretched a bit, yawning since the mission took a lot out of her and the rest of the team. "While I would love to hear the ridiculous conversation on nicknames," Her sarcasm was not missed. "I think I would like some rest." The white haired teen got to her feet and headed for the door. "I'll be in our dorm if anyone needs me."

Blake got up almost immediately after. "Yeah, I'll be there too." She wasn't much for larger group hangouts, so after leaving the room, Pyrrha looked to Ruby and Yang.

"It must have been a very tiring mission." The scarlet huntress in training commented. "Most of the Sapphire Coast's area is a lot to scour."

"Yeah, it really was." Yang confirmed, yawning a bit. "Honestly, I'd say walking a lot was pretty tiring too. The camping out was fun though."

Ruby grinned, nodding in agreement with her sister. "Ms. Goodwitch said it was only gonna get harder from here, so we gotta keep moving forward if we're gonna be able to handle these hunts."

Her sister gave her a thumbs up. "You know it, sis." She got up and stretched a little. "Hey, I think ice wolf and Blake had a good idea on getting some rest. Imma head back too. See you guys later."

As she waved to the team, Ren looked to Ruby. "Were you going to join them?"

"Yup, I'm pretty tired too. Oh, but I was hoping that tomorrow we can have a sparring match." Ren looked surprised by that. "I mean, not just us, but our teams." She looked to Jaune. "What do ya say, Jaune? Friendly sparring match with our teams?"

Jaune was a bit intimidated by the request. Sure his team could handle themselves well, but he still felt he would drag them down in a team fight. Still, the huntsman in training didn't want to show fear, so he nodded. "Y-Yeah, that sounds fun…"

"Awesome! Okay, I'll let my team know. We can have it at around, five? Sound okay?" Ruby suggested, and Jaune simply nodded shyly, clearly nervous about the sparring match they'd be having tomorrow.

Back in the RWBY dorm, the girls were getting ready for sleep, with Weiss already in her nightgown as her girlfriend walked in. "Looks like we all made a train back to the dorm." The white haired teen joked as she was about to get in bed.

"Hehe. I just started feeling as tired, so I figured why not." Ruby shrugged. "Oh, and I asked Team JNPR if they wanted to have a team sparring match tomorrow. You guys in?"

Yang looked pumped immediately, while Blake seemed to not care either way. Weiss however sighed. "Ruby, really? We just got back from a three day mission, and now you want us to have a team sparring match the next day?"

"Oh come on, ice wolf." Yang called out from her bed. "It's not like we're gonna go all out. It's a friendly sparring match."

Weiss looked unamused. "You and 'friendly sparring matches' usually ends up with dust explosions, or should I remind you of the sparring matches you've had with Nora?"

"Ugh, you really gotta be a prune about this, ice wolf?" Yang complained, earning a glare in return.

"I know you didn't just call me a prune, Xiao Long." If she were in her wolf form, her teeth would threatening the blonde brawler there and then.

Ruby clapped to calm them both down. "Ey! No fighting. Weiss, if you want, I can change the day when we spar. I really don't mind."

Weiss sighed. "You already asked them, so no sense in changing the date on that."

"Sorry." Ruby felt she had to say that, so she walked over, looking at her partner for a moment before leaning in and giving her a soft kiss on her lips. "Forgive me?"

The white haired teen blushed, while Yang snickered about the blush Weiss had after being kissed. "A kiss won't get me to forgive you all the time, you little dork…"

"Yes it will!" Yang exclaimed, so Weiss growled and grabbed her pillow, chucking it immediately at the blonde who was pelted right in the face.

"Oaf." Weiss crossed her arms, hearing her girlfriend giggling. "And what's so funny? I still haven't forgiven you yet for not informing us of this idea of yours."

Ruby gave her puppy dog eyes. "Weeiiiiisssss! Please don't be mad. I just thought of it last minute, and I think it can be really, really fun."

The white haired teen was not able to resist the look her girlfriend gave her, so she relented. "A-Alright, alright… I forgive you…" The rose girl jumped on her partner, making her yelp as she almost fell back when she caught her. "Ruby Rose!"

Yang playfully rolled her eyes at how the white rose pair acted, finding it too cute.

* * *

"Hey, honey." Tai said to his wife when he answered his scroll. "Ruby told me she got back from her mission today, so should I start sending Zwei over?"

"It's a little late for that, so maybe tomorrow morning." Summer replied. "We're not able to get a certain plan going for a while, but… I'm just happy you'll be helping us on this."

Tai was packing some things he'd need in a suitcase, while he looked over at Zwei, who seemed excited on going to Beacon. "It'll be like old times, except, well, I'll get to punch Qrow when I get there."

Summer giggled at that. "I'm pretty sure that's still like old times, honey."

"True enough." As Tai finished packing, he rubbed Zwei's head a few times. "Did the girls tell you how their mission went?"

"Yup! I'm so proud of them. Their first hunt and they did so well, even with Glyn breathing down their necks." Summer commented.

"Come on, she's not that bad." Tai defended jokingly.

"You and I both know you're trying too hard to defend Glyn here." Summer stated, earning some laughter from her husband.

Tai sat back on his bed, shrugging a little. "She has her moments."

"That's true, but, uh… Um, I was gonna ask. About Raven-." Before she could finish, her husband cut her off.

"Don't worry. I'm not gonna jeopardize a mission like this because of personal stuff. Besides, we've talked before, Summer. We're adults." Tai reminded.

"I-I know. I was just-." Summer was cut off again.

"Concerned, and I get that, but I promise you this," He spoke truthfully. "Raven and I won't argue. I'm going there to help on a mission, and that's that. You trust me, right?"

Summer sighed. "You know I do, honey… I love you."

"I love you too. Try to take a break tonight from whatever you're doing on that mission, okay?" Tai recommended.

"Yeah, I think I'll do that. See you tomorrow." Since they were on a video call, she blew him a kiss, so he blew one right back, ending the call there.

* * *

 **I may have screwed up and forgot to post earlier… Nintendo's E3 distracted me! All the announcements got me excited… So blame them for announcing the greatest Super Smash Bros game they've ever made.**

 **Seriously though, I really do apologize for being late on this.**

 **To JJ- Her fears have shown a few times, and Glynda, with the knowledge of how to handle someone with those fears really helped here. In the end, Weiss will have to learn to conquer her fears. As for posting later than usual… Well this chapter is an example of how I tend to forget things at times. Woops.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 63. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 64.**


	64. Normality

**Here's chapter 64, everyone.**

* * *

"Are you still sure it's okay that we spar with-?" Before finishing her sentence, Ruby recoiled back a bit when her partner flicked her forehead. "Ouch! Weeeiiiiissss! I thought you wouldn't do that anymore!"

"I do that because you're a dolt that needs to understand when you're asking too many questions." Weiss said, arms crossed as she gave her partner an unamused look. "If I said it was fine once, you don't need to ask me again, got it?"

"Y-Yes, ma'am." Ruby stuttered.

The white haired member of Team RWBY rolled her eyes. "I'm not ordering you around, you dork."

Ruby was on the offensive immediately when she was called a dork. "Bleh." She stuck her tongue out at Weiss. "Wolfy."

"Ugh, shut it, you little hassle." Weiss replied, a slight blush tinted her cheeks.

Yang was watching from a distance, her elbow on the desk as she had her palm against her chin to hold herself up. "Y'know, the fact that Weiss calls my sister a dork fits, because two dorks are perfect for each other." She had a cheeky grin on her face when she said that.

"Don't have Weiss catch you calling her that." Blake warned while focusing on her art.

The blonde glanced over, noticing the drawings Blake had in her book. "Hey, I didn't know you were an artist, shadowcat." She continued to make sure to whisper when she'd use the nickname.

Blake shrugged. "It's just a hobby. Not really much else to it."

"You shouldn't sell yourself short, cause seriously, you're really good at this." Yang complimented, looking at the art of Grimm that Blake was working on. "Grimm are monsters and all, but even I have to admit that they look cool."

Being complimented wouldn't usually make the cat Faunus blush, but when it was Yang, she couldn't help but feel her cheeks warming up. "Uh, thanks…"

"Come on. I'm serious, Blake. I think you should show my sister and ice wolf. Trust me, they'll say the same thing." Yang encouraged.

It wasn't like she wanted to hide her art, but she never felt like anyone really needed to see it either. "I don't know… It's mostly just a hobby for me. I'm not one on trying to show off anything."

"Ey, don't be so silly. It's not showing off. You're just sharing your art." Yang continued to try and motivate her partner, not choosing to give up so easily. "And hey, maybe you can start posting it onli-."

"I think just showing Ruby and Weiss is just enough for me." Blake said, not much for social media, but in the back of her mind, she was considering it.

"Alright, I won't push it." Yang assured, stretching her arms a bit as she grinned. "So, wanna show em now?"

Blake shook her head as she closed her book. "Maybe after the sparring match we have."

"Sounds fine to me." The blonde brawler cracked her knuckles, clearly pumped up to take on Team JNPR. "Been waiting to have this kind of fight. Me and Nora go head to head sometimes, but man, thinking about fighting Pyrrha," She almost felt like sweating. "Even makes me a little nervous."

"Didn't think I'd ever see you like that." Blake remarked.

"Few championship titles, and coverbox girl on some cereal, yeah, she's not exactly all talk." Yang noted, but still looked determined to fight. "Just means we'll have to give it more than our all."

The cat Faunus shrugged. "I'm not all that worried about a sparring match to be honest."

"Aww, but you know they'll rub it in our faces if they win." The blonde brawler said, trying her best to get her partner to go all out.

"Not like I'd let it get to me." Blake nonchalantly responded, earning a groan from her partner, so she sighed and picked her book up. "Relax. It's not that serious." As she got up to head for the exit of the library.

"Maybe not, but I am so not about to let them get bragging rights." Yang followed her partner out the library.

"You're honestly as much of a dork as Ruby and Weiss, you know that, right?" Blake let out a small grin, while Yang scoffed in response. "Ey, I am not a dork. I am a very motivated person who just wants to rub it in Nora's face when we win."

Blake rolled her eyes. "Yeah, a dork."

Her partner pouted and complained the rest of the way back to their dorm.

* * *

"Okami…" Raven greeted, finding time to chat with the woman she was tasked with helping. "I didn't think I'd see you this soon, but here you are. So, are you going to tell me why you asked me to come out here?"

They were in a coffee shop, the white haired woman was wearing a hood to cover her face as best she could without resorting to her mask. "I didn't know you wanted to speak in last names, Branwen."

Raven rolled her eyes. "Sometimes it's better to work with that in situations like these. Now explain why you've asked me to meet you here."

Lazuria sighed. "Updates… Anything? Normality… I don't know. I wanted to do more than hide, and honestly, you're the only other person I feel like I can go to for that."

"So… You just wanted to hang out?" Raven deadpanned, and the other woman shrugged.

"Maybe to you that doesn't seem important, but I don't get to live a normal life anymore…" Lazuria quietly spoke, but shook her head. "Don't think I'm complaining… Sometimes I like to pretend I can live a normal life is all."

While she wasn't one to feel pity for others too much, Raven couldn't help but see how screwed up her life really was. "Well, you got me here, so I guess coffee isn't that bad." She said as she took a sip. Once she set the cup down, she continued. "We have a new plan for the mission. One you'll need to listen to so it'll work."

Lazuria perked up. "What about your previous plan?"

"Didn't give us anything to work with, but one of the others we called in suggested something we think should work well." Raven explained, unable to tell her the rest of the details since they were out in public.

"I see… Well I'll tag along with you for now. Trouble won't be around for me until another week and a half at the least." Lazuria remarked.

Raven nodded. "Like I said, it's best that you listen to the plan to get what we're doing. It involves you," She leaned over the table to whisper. "Ending another one of those lives."

Lazuria's eyes widened. "W-What? You're telling me to spare one…" She whispered back in shock.

"You're going to have to trust me on this. If not, then I don't know if we can help you in the long run." Raven admitted, raising Lazuria's heart rate. The black haired huntress noticed her tense up. "Relax. I didn't say we won't be able to help entirely. Just that we need you to do this for us, so we can get this started properly."

"I… I guess I have no other choice." Lazuria conceded, taking a sip of her own coffee Raven paid for. "Thanks for the coffee…"

Raven sighed. "I'm sorry for what you have to deal with, but we're doing our best."

"This isn't me complaining." Lazuria stated. "I'm tired, and… Maybe I should honestly just let them win… I don't know."

"Is that really the thing you want to say to yourself after this long? Even with how much you've done, and how badly you want to see your daughter again?" Raven asked, keeping her voice down still.

Without hesitating, Lazuria countered. "You were the one saying I shouldn't even tell my daughter the truth…"

"Yes, the truth. I never said you shouldn't see her, so are you about to throw that away, or will you let us try to continue helping you?" Raven questioned, keeping her stare on the other woman.

Lazuria hung her head down, contemplating everything she's done in the seventeen years of running. "Honestly… I have seen her… My little cub… I've seen her grow, and sometimes I wish I could walk up to her and hug her… Never to let go, but I refused each time-."

"In fear of her becoming involved." Raven finished her sentence, and the other woman stayed quiet. "Come with me." The huntress said as she got up from her chair and walked around the table, lifting the white haired woman up by her arm.

"W-Where exactly?" Lazuria asked when she got to her feet.

"Don't ask so many questions." Raven ordered, walking out of the coffee shop with Lazuria following close behind. "Sorry you didn't get much of a normal day of… Hanging out."

Lazuria couldn't argue about that. It's not like she expected a long talk about anything other than the mission they were on. "Not much to be sorry about."

Raven said nothing more and led the woman to the warehouse that she, Qrow and Summer were using.

* * *

"Tai should be here soon." Summer said to Qrow, both having waited in the warehouse when Raven informed them to. "So don't start any problems with him, or I won't protect you from what he might do."

"Eh, we'll see what he can do against me." Qrow challenged, and Summer sighed at his response. "I'm just messing with ya. Sheesh, can't make a joke around here?"

"Qrow, you don't joke a lot." Summer deadpanned.

The huntsman shrugged and took a drink. "Doesn't mean I can't."

"What is he trying to do this time?" Raven asked, almost startling the two, and Summer was taken aback when she saw the woman next to her old friend. "I don't need a migraine today, so whatever it is, don't do it."

Qrow rolled his eyes and flipped his sister off. "I don't need any sass from you today either, sis."

Summer barely paid attention to her teammates, only taking in what Lazuria, who she assumed was Lazuria looked like. White hair, blue eyes. It was like she was a Schnee herself. "Are… Are you-?"

"This is her, yes, Summer." Raven answered for the woman, while Lazuria didn't seem too interested in speaking.

The blacksmith walked up to Raven and the woman she knew as Weiss' birth mother. "I've heard a bit about you. I'm Summer Rose, one of Raven's teammates."

"Yes… I've seen you before." Lazuria admitted, surprising the blacksmith, and Raven. "The times I would visit… Well, more like spied on my daughter, I would see you once in awhile."

"You spied on snowflake?" Summer questioned.

Lazuria let out a somber chuckle. "Snowflake… Yes, I've heard Willow call her that many times… So I assume with that, you know all about who I really am."

"I do. Willow trusted me to inform me about who you are… Not everything, since I'm sure she wanted to keep what you're doing out of public ears." Summer replied.

"It's because of my request that she hasn't attempted to tell that many people the truth." Lazuria explained. "For someone like me… I'd rather the less people involved, the better."

Raven cut in before Summer could respond. "We're not here to talk about who needs to know what. Okami, we plan on interrogating the next Relentless that comes after you, and not in the kind way you think."

The crestfallen woman was surprised by that, not thinking hunters would resort to tactics. "I… Never really got the chance to try it myself. It was either kill or be killed with The Relentless."

Summer grimaced when she said that, and Raven nodded. "You don't have to give me excuses. I get what you had to do, but we'll be around when the next one comes, so try not to kill them, or else we'll have to wait even longer."

"I-I'll try." Lazuria nervously replied, while Qrow walked over, clearly a little buzzed.

"Y'know, I didn't say this last time, but you gotta be pretty tough to keep killing the people they send after ya." Qrow noted, and Summer wasn't enjoying the conversation, so she saw herself outside, while the buzzed huntsman looked over. "Summer, where ya going?"

"Leave her." Raven suggested, and pushed passed her brother to sit down by one of the rusted metal desks. "This isn't her scene, at least not right now."

Qrow shrugged and walked back over to where he was sitting originally. "Ey, did you know your ex is showing up on this one?"

Raven sighed, looking down for a moment. "Can you get your drunken ass out of here for a few minutes… Because I'm not about to deal with you right now."

"Buzzed, not drunk." Qrow remarked as he took another swig.

Lazuria looked back and forth at the twins, as she began to wonder if they were the right people for the job after all.

* * *

"Okay! It's almost time for the sparring match to go down, so… Wait, what is that, Yang?" Ruby asked when her sister walked into the dorm room.

The blonde brawler grinned, holding a tube in her hand. "Oh I think you know who's in here, sis."

Ruby gasped, running over to her sister, while Blake looked confused, and Weiss sighed. "Your father did not just send who I think he did like that again… Did he?"

"Heh, you know how dad is, ice wolf." Yang commented, and Blake still looked completely out of the loop.

"Okay, I'll ask. What did your dad send in the mail?" Blake questioned as she got off her bed to see. Yang smirked, and instead of answering, she opened up the tube and popped out what looked to be a fluffy tube shaped object. Blake watched it move for a moment, and then after a couple of seconds, it popped and a corgi was revealed, startling her as she jumped back. "What?! He sent a dog?!"

Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose. "In the mail again…"

Ruby squealed happily and hugged the little corgi. "Zwei!"

"How… How did he even fit in that tube?" Blake asked, dumbfounded by what she just saw.

Yang shrugged. "He's flexible? I don't know. Dad tried it once, and Zwei seems to like it a lot, so we said screw it, we'll pack him up like that whenever we gotta send him somewhere. Which isn't as much as you'd think actually."

"I'm… I'm not gonna ask any more questions. Just make sure he doesn't get near my stuff." Blake requested, and Yang grinned at her.

"What? Not a fan of dogs, Shadowcat?" The blonde teased.

"Don't start." The cat Faunus warned.

"Come on, Blake. You've been around the ice wolf a lot, and she-." Before Yang could finish her sentence, she saw Myrtenaster's blade appear in her vision to her left. "She heard me… Didn't she?"

"Use me as a comparison to a dog again, and I swear they won't find your body, Xiao Long." Weiss threatened, her cold tone evident as Yang slowly gave her a thumbs up to say she won't ever do that again.

Yang gulped. "Message received…"

* * *

 **Zwei is here. Oh and don't compare Weiss to a dog, or she will unleash her fury on you. Also to explain why Lazuria called Raven over, well like she said, she wanted to feel some normality in her life for once. So even if it was just a short talk, it was something.**

 **To the guest on chapter 63- Oh wow you just made me smile with that Xenoblade comparison. I love that game and plan on playing the DLC that comes out soon for challenge mode. And I'm kinda thinking of what they'd be like with those voices. Huh, not bad choices.**

 **To JJ- Hey it's all good. I'm the one who messed up and posted so late in the first place. Anyways, Zwei is finally here! So hope you'll enjoy his little involvement here and there. Don't underestimate the power of a Ruby Rose puppy dog stare, as even the girl who can become a wolf can't resist it.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 64. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 65.**


	65. Sparring Match

**Here's chapter 65, everyone.**

* * *

Whitley felt the worst, unable to bring himself to speak up to his mother. He wanted nothing more than to ask her when Weiss would be able to visit, or even Winter for that matter. Any family to see that wasn't his father, but he would never admit that out loud.

A knock on his door was the answering call he wished for, so he walked over and turned the knob, revealing it was his mother knocking. "Mother." He politely greeted, letting her walk in as she was wearing her normal attire.

"Good afternoon, honey." Willow smiled, happy to be able to speak with her own son. "I was wondering if you'd like some dinner. I asked Klein if he could make you your favorite."

The boy was surprised by that. His favorite dish wasn't one he thought about for some time, since he had a strict diet placed by his father. "I'm not to go against my diet, mother."

"You're a fit young man, honey. And your father is away on a business trip right now, so please, come have dinner with Klein and I." Willow begged, hoping her son would finally go against his father in some way.

"I… Very well, but only this once. I do not wish to stray from my diet." Whitley said, though he wished he didn't.

Willow didn't say much else after that, only waiting to speak with her son when they got to the dining room. When they did, Klein bowed respectfully to Whitley, seeing as the boy was almost never out of his room to see him. "Good afternoon, Master Whitley."

Even after the years of living under his father, Whitley never lumped Klein with the rest of the butlers and maids in the manor. "Yes, I suppose it is, Klein. Thank you for… The food."

Klein nodded, pulling two chairs out from the table for Willow and Whitley. As Willow took a seat, she thanked the butler, while Whitley sat and took in the food in front of him. "Go on, honey. The food won't bite." Willow playfully joked, and Whitley reached for the silverware.

As he stuck his fork into the turkey, he let out a genuine smile, bringing the food to his mouth as he took his first bite of turkey in some time. Willow was happier at that moment, seeing her son's smile as he enjoyed the turkey.

Willow took a bite of some turkey as well, but when she looked over to see Klein still standing a bit away, she playfully rolled her eyes. "Klein, sit down and grab a plate."

The butler always seemed to wait on Willow to tell him he could sit with them, even after the years of her wishing he wouldn't. Still, the man was very stubborn about how he showed respect. "Of course, Ma'am." He sat across from Willow and Whitley, grabbing a plate of turkey, and the potato salad he made.

"The turkey is very good, Klein." Whitley complimented, and the butler nodded, silently thanking the young man. "Did mother also request the potato salad?"

"I've always remembered both were your favorite, so I didn't need to be informed. I just hope I made it the way you liked it." Klein said.

Whitley was surprised to hear that. He didn't believe even after all those years, Klein would still remember his favorite food. "Well… I appreciate that."

Willow took note of how her son spoke, and with that, she could hear the differences in how he speaks compared to when he and Weiss talked. "How have your studies gone, honey?" She wanted to attempt some form of small talk.

"Well. They've been well." Whitley answered. "But… I would like to ask, why have you and father not-."

"Your father and I simply haven't had a lot of time to discuss some things, but don't worry, honey. He's very busy, and I've had some of my own priorities to deal with." Willow tried her best to not bring her son in on the problems she and her husband were having.

"What other priorities?" Whitley inquired.

Willow ate some of the potato salad on her plate, taking a moment to wash it down with a clear glass of water. "I do have my own hobbies, honey." She added with a chuckle.

"I'm not sure that answers the question, mother." Whitley remarked.

"Honey, I'm just spending time with some friends of mine. Summer and her old teammates to be specific." Willow explained.

Her son seemed content enough with that answer, so he nodded, going back to his food.

* * *

"What are we supposed to do with a dog?" Blake questioned, trying her best to stay away from the corgi, who was at the moment barking and running circles around Ruby.

"He's not fragile, Blake. Zwei can chill out with us while we're sparring with JNPR." Yang stated. "Maybe he can even join us in the fight."

Zwei yipped in response, while Blake gave Yang a deadpan expression. "That would be cheating."

"Not if he's an honorary member of the team he's not." The blonde grinned, hoping her sister would agree with her on that matter.

Ruby chirped up. "Sure, he's definitely an honorary member," Yang pumped her fist in the air. "But we are not letting him fight with us against Jaune and his team." The fist pump lowered in defeat. "It really would be cheating to go five on four, sis."

"Ugh, fine, but we are so bringing him on missions with us." Blake sighed after her partner said that.

"I don't think that's allowed." Blake retorted.

"Dad takes him on missions sometimes, so why can't we?" Her reasoning was only justifiable if they were full fledged huntress, not students.

Weiss cut in, finding the conversation to be ridiculous. "Can we focus on the task at hand? You know, finding out why your dad sent him here in the first place."

"Oh, right." Yang looked at the note that came with their dog. "Hmm, looks like dad is going on a mission with mom… So he wants us to look after him for however long he needs."

The white haired teen looked down at the corgi, letting out a small smile as she knelt down and rubbed his head. "Well as long as we don't get in trouble for having a dog here, I don't see why not."

Zwei's tail wagged back and forth as he licked her hand, making Weiss giggle. "Yay! Zwei gets to stay!" Ruby cheered, and the black and white corgi jumped up in the air with joy.

Blake wasn't convinced on getting close to the dog, so she kept her distance and found it annoying that this dog would be staying the same room as her. "Shouldn't we get to the training room…"

Ruby looked at the time on her scroll. "Oh man, you're right! Okay, team, we're gonna win for sure, now that we have Zwei watching as our good luck charm."

"I don't know if I consider him a good luck charm…" Blake mumbled to herself, luckily no one hearing her say that.

* * *

Weiss took a breath, deciding on how she wanted to go about their team sparring match, since she could immediately use her 'semblance', but she still felt her abilities without it were just fine too. "Whatcha thinking about?" Ruby asked, snapping her girlfriend out of it.

"W-What? Oh, um, just deciding on if I should use my semblance or not." Weiss explained.

"Hmm… I think you should wait a bit, then use it. Y'know, go with both styles of fighting." Ruby suggested as she was loading up dust rounds in Crescent Rose.

Her partner looked over at the other end of the training room, watching closely as JNPR was getting ready for their match. "I suppose that wouldn't be a bad idea. But what do I do about… Um, you know, my clothes…"

Ruby could easily notice the blush on Weiss' cheeks, so she decided to play with her a bit by leaning over and planting a kiss on her lips, making the red tint on her girlfriend's cheeks brighten up. Yang saw that, but said nothing, knowing Weiss would probably threaten her the moment she did.

Weiss wasn't about to complain about a kiss, so she closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around her partner. Luckily only Yang had seen them, so the others wouldn't be able to tease them about it.

As they pulled away, Weiss sighed. "You know, that doesn't answer my question, you little dork."

Ruby poked Weiss' nose, giggling a little. "I know, Wolfy, but don't worry. I'll use my semblance and put your clothes on one of the seats. Jaune and his team will understand."

"Well… Okay, but don't get used to using your semblance to just get my clothes somewhere. I don't want you wasting aura on that." Weiss said.

"Only when I absolutely have to, or when you ask." Ruby assured, smiling at her girlfriend as she couldn't help but hug her, making Weiss blush again.

"W-What is with all the affection right now, you dolt?" Weiss stiffened.

Ruby pulled away and shrugged. "I don't need a reason to wanna be around you."

"Okay, not staying quiet on that one. You two are adorable." The blonde brawler teased when she walked over, but she could hear her white haired friend growl in response. "Easy, ice wolf. You know it's true."

"You won't be saying that when I trap you in ice, you oaf." Weiss warned, but the two were kept from going back and forth when they heard a whistling sound.

"Ey! Come on, ladies!" It was Nora. "We got a match to win!"

Blake sighed, seeing just how much energy the hammer user had compared to her own partner. Ren was in the same boat as Blake, not caring too much on the match winner itself. The two teams got on the arena, with Zwei barking happily from the seats.

"I still can't believe your dad sent a dog over here." Jaune commented, and Ruby chuckled a little.

"Yeah, it was super unexpected, but I'm not complaining. I love having Zwei around." Ruby glanced over at the corgi. "Cheer for us, Zwei! We'll win it!"

The corgi barked, nodding as Ruby gave him a thumbs up and she readied herself for the fight. "Okay, so are there gonna be ground rules to this or what?"

"Oh, uh…" Jaune thought about it for a moment. "Well, I guess we don't overdo it?"

Yang rolled her eyes. "Relax, we'll stick to not destroying the training room. Besides," She jumped off the arena and ran over to one of the consoles, tapping the screen a few times to extend the arena the two teams were on, almost knocking Jaune off balance.

Pyrrha held his arm to keep him from falling over. "W-Whoa, thanks, Pyrrha. Wasn't expecting Yang to do that…"

The other blonde jumped on the arena again. "Sorry. Had to be sure we had enough space for this." She activated her gauntlets, and Jaune gulped, readying his sword.

The scarlet haired huntress in training was ready to go as well, giving her partner a nod. "Don't worry, Jaune. I'm sure we'll do fine."

Jaune didn't say anything back, mostly because he thought more about how his team would easily do fine in the fight. He still felt that he couldn't keep up, but would still do what he could to at least be of help.

In those times, Pyrrha would always try to encourage him. Her words were enough to get him to train harder, but the real reason he continued pushing himself was because of how Pyrrha was hurt during initiation.

Nora looked over at Weiss, raising an eyebrow at her. "Hey, not gonna use your semblance?"

Weiss could see that she was the one being asked that, so she shook her head. "I can fight like this too, so no need on wasting aura right now." Myrtenaster was in its rapier form, and Weiss was ready to prove her words were true,

The orange haired girl grinned, her hammer ready to go. "Alright! If you say so! Anyways, who wants to count it down?"

Ruby instantly jumped on the opportunity. "I got this! Ready, everyone?" When the teams nodded together, Ruby smirked. "Alright, ready, set… Fight!"

Yang immediately shot forward, aiming for Pyrrha, while the scarlet huntress in training held her shield up, blocking the punch.

Blake had used her semblance to get behind the team, but was met with Jaune covering their backs, surprising her slightly.

Weiss was on the offensive, going for the boy in green, knowing his mid range attacks were his best course of action, still meeting her blade with his that he had on his Stormflower.

Ruby had only one person she could go after at that point, but she kept her distance, sniping at Nora, who did her best to dodge the incoming dust rounds.

Zwei was watching the whole battle, blade met blade, shots rang out, and both sides had no intention of losing out on any advantages they could get.

Ren managed to get Weiss away at a good distance to begin firing shots at her, and while she did take a few hits, she managed to dodge most of them. In a battle, taking your eyes off an opponent was the last thing you wanted to do, so she couldn't check how much aura she lost and went with her gut.

Still, she knew using her semblance then would be too much, so she began to use dust from Myrtenaster, elegant swings were made, all aimed towards the boy in green as the first type of dust she used was earth dust, sending waves of stone at Ren.

His guns weren't strong enough to take down the rocks by simply shooting them, so he had to dive out of the way, only getting grazed on the side of the leg by a wave of stone.

With that, he was knocked off balance and landed on his side, giving Weiss the chance to strike, but as she sprinted to do so, she was intercepted by Nora, who only grinned and swung her hammer at the girl, who did her best to hold Myrtenaster up to block the attack.

The force of the hammer sent her flying back, even if she was able to block it. Ruby had used her semblance to quickly catch her, causing Weiss to blush. "Gotcha!"

"O-Okay, you can put me down now." Weiss said, feeling her girlfriend releasing her to her feet. "I don't know if I can get a good shot in with Nora defending him like that."

Ruby swapped Crescent Rose to scythe form, looking over to see Nora helping her partner up. "I'm gonna distract her up close then." She instantly shot forward with her semblance and went in for a slice, but Ren saw the attack and met the blade of Crescent Rose with his Stormflower, giving Nora enough time to try and swing at Ruby.

Unlucky for her, she was met with two ice blasts that froze her feet to the ground. Weiss was the reason for that, and she got close enough to make quick jabs at Ren's chest, since he was locked with Ruby at the time, sending the boy back and doing a good bit of damage to his aura.

Nora didn't like seeing her closest friend getting hurt, so she smashed the ice with the butt of her hammer, and as she glared at Weiss, she was quickly met with a smirking Ruby, who swapped back to focusing on her.

All the while, Pyrrha was too quick for Yang, swinging her spear around and smacking her in the back, making the blonde growl in anger. "Ugh," She tried punching the ground with gravity dust in her gauntlets, sending the purple shockwave towards Pyrrha, but Jaune pushed her out of the way, getting trapped in the gravity well.

Blake took the chance to jumped up and kick him down, making him gasp for air when it was knocked out of him. Yang found it annoying that she missed her target though, and pushed on, punching at Pyrrha, who stayed calm as she blocked the punches with her shield, responding with a swipe to the legs, knocking the brawler down on her back.

Pyrrha aimed her spear at Yang, waiting to see if she'd give up, but didn't realize that Blake would take the opportunity to fire several rounds at her, so her aura took a hit when she was shot a few times in the shoulder.

Jaune saw that and did his best to get up, the gravity keeping him off balance, but as he saw Blake running at Pyrrha, he forced himself out of the gravity pull.

The scarlet huntress in training met Blake's blade with her spear, holding her back. "That was a good sneak attack." She complimented.

Blake wasn't one for talking during a fight, so she simply nodded and jumped back, not allowing Pyrrha to try and do what she did to her partner. Yang was up again, side by side with Blake as they were both facing Pyrrha.

Jaune hesitated for a moment when he realized he was behind Blake and Yang, shaking his head as he couldn't let Pyrrha fight alone, so he started running to hit Yang from behind, but the other blonde could hear his footsteps, so she turned around and went in for a punch, only to meet Jaune's shield, making her groan in anger.

"Ugh, shields are starting to piss me off…" Yang faced Jaune at that point, back to back with her partner as they had swapped opponents.

* * *

 **Whitley still has his own story to go through and Willow won't give up on him, so I'll try to get more scenes for Whitley in this since he does have a part to play as well as him growing as a character. Oh and Zwei is a cheer dog.**

 **To JJ- Cheer dog Zwei! And yeah, Yang will need to start watching what she says, or else she'll end up in a lot of pain. Lazuria truly just wants to live a normal life again, so yeah it's sad for her, but now she has people who will do what they can to help. Let's see if they really can help though.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 65. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 66.**


	66. Semblance

**Here's chapter 66, everyone.**

* * *

The sparring match between both teams raged on, with Ren back to his feet and able to parry Weiss' incoming slashes, knocking her back a few feet as he followed up with gunfire, pelting her enough to make her have to start dodging. " _I can't dodge forever…"_

As she thought about what she could do, Weiss realized one advantage her 'semblance' gave her on use. The white haired huntress in training spared no more time, using her 'semblance' and blinding everyone on the arena, but Ruby knew it was the moment she would need to use her semblance too.

As the light faded, Ren was too late after uncovering his eyes, being slashed by the white wolf that was now on the arena. Ruby was gone in a flash as well, getting her partner's clothes somewhere safe, but it only took her a few seconds, already back in front of Nora.

Weiss growled at Ren, Myrtenaster in her teeth with its sharp edged form ready. The boy in green never sparred with Weiss in that form of hers, so he wasn't sure how to counter the speed she was given.

Ruby grinned, noting her partner was getting into it, now that she had used her 'semblance'. "Ren isn't gonna have an easy time now."

Nora grit her teeth as she slammed her hammer down on where Ruby stood, but was unpleasantly surprised when nothing but rose petals were in her place. "Stay still so I can smash ya!"

The white wolf heard that, and knew her partner would be fine, so she finally focused her full attention on Ren, both of them waiting on the other to make the first move. " _He's patient… And with my semblance in use, I'm at the best I can be for now. His semblance isn't one he can use here, so we're both at our limitations."_

As she studied the situation at hand, the white wolf felt her vision blur up a bit, making her wobble a bit. Ren noticed that, but wasn't sure if it was the fatigue on using her 'semblance', so he chose to press his attack on.

Weiss gasped, unable to see it coming since she wasn't as focused, getting pelted with rounds again, making her growl angrily. So she dropped Myrtenaster and began moving quickly, dodging the attacks, but it wasn't like before. The white wolf was in full control, swiping at the boy with her claws, which was unexpected of her, since he saw Weiss only ever using Myrtenaster in her wolf form.

Ren had enough experience fighting Strom to be able to dodge the swipes, but when she spun around to hit him with the weight of her body, he gasped and was knocked on his back, so she took the chance to pounce on him, growling as she looked down at the boy. "Give up."

His guns were knocked out of his hands, so he had no way of getting her off, at least she believed that. Ren focused his aura on his palms, confusing the white wolf since he hadn't said a word, but as he was able to land his palm on one of her legs, it was enough force to push her off.

"What?!" Weiss was pushed back several feet, but when she noticed his hands were lit up with his aura, she knew what had happened. "Offense aura… I didn't think you'd expend it here."

As Ren picked up his guns, he aimed at her. "Even if this is a sparring match, we should use it to learn more tactics for the real thing. Wouldn't you agree?"

Weiss backed away, feeling her heart racing as she didn't have Myrtenaster to defend herself, and dodging would only get her so far, so when he began firing at her, she yelped in pain, feeling her aura dropping as she tried to run, but his focused fire was too much.

The white wolf growled, and for the first time, she made a sound she didn't think she could make. The sound made the whole room stop fighting, just to look over. She had howled, and her eyes went wide as she saw something she couldn't comprehend.

A glyph, just like her mother's and Winter's. It was right in front of the white wolf, and Ruby looked on in awe as well. Ren had stopped firing when he saw that the glyph had blocked his rounds, but the fact that a glyph was even there to begin with was the more shocking revelation.

"W-What… What is-?" Weiss stopped, realizing what it was, even though she believed it couldn't be true. "How… How is this here?" She started looking around, wondering if maybe her mom, or even more unbelievable, her sister was somehow around.

Blake was in shock. She knew what it was too, and because of the information she'd learned over the years, it seemed impossible. First she found that Weiss didn't have the Schnee semblance, and that she had the power to become a wolf, but there it was, spinning in front of the white wolf. " _How is this possible…"_

The glyph vanished not a moment later, Weiss still stunned by its sudden appearance, or for the matter of it even being there in the first place. "Whoa… I thought ice wolf couldn't do that…" Yang commented, her focus on Jaune lost due to what she just saw.

Jaune himself, while not as knowledgeable on semblances, looked confused as well. "Yeah, I thought we can only have one semblance… Right?"

Pyrrha nodded, unable to comprehend it either. "Yes, our semblances can change, but we can never have more than one."

Nora was the first to break the confusion, swapping to her weapon's grenade launcher form as she shot at Ruby. "We still got a match to finish!"

Her sudden shout snapped everyone out of their thoughts, and Ruby was too distracted, getting hit by the explosions. "Gah!" She flew back, and her shouts of pain made Weiss' ears perk up.

"Ruby!" The white wolf growled and charged for her weapon, instantly grabbing it with her teeth as she went back to trying to help her partner. " _If this were a real fight, sitting around is the last thing I want to do. I can question what that was later."_

The hammer wielder of Team JNPR was ready to win, getting ready to blast more canisters at the fallen rose girl, but she felt a pain in her back when Weiss slashed at her, taking down most of her aura, since it was a sneak attack.

Nora stumbled forward, but Weiss refused to let up, slashing her in a ferocious manner until she dropped her hammer, so the white wolf released her weapon and slammed into her, sending her off the arena, though they weren't playing by tournament rules, so she wasn't considered out. That is until she noticed her aura was in the red.

"Noooooo!" Her whines made Weiss roll her eyes, but she wasn't the one she was concerned about.

The white wolf ran to her partner, whimpering a bit when she saw Ruby sitting up and rubbing the back of her head. "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah, but, uh… Wow, um, so was that you who made that glyph?" Ruby asked, still fascinated by how her partner seemingly had two semblances. "I mean… How'd ya do that?"

"It couldn't have been mine…" Weiss trailed off. "No, look, we have Ren, Jaune and Pyrrha to keep on fighting. There's no time for chit chat on the battlefield." She ran over and grabbed Myrtenaster with her teeth, ready to take on Ren again, but gasped when her vision began to blur, making her fall to her side.

Ruby ran over to her immediately, not caring about the others around her if they would be able to get a shot in. "Weiss!" As she knelt down by the white wolf, she could see her breathing heavily, so she quickly glanced up at the screen above them, seeing that Weiss' aura was in the yellow, only seven percent higher than the red.

Even then, Ren used that and began firing rounds at them, so Ruby quickly used her semblance, being able to lift Weiss up somewhat, seeing that she could easily wield Crescent Rose, but only got her far enough to get to the other side of the arena. "R-Ruby… Go and fight him… I'll be fine…"

"But…" Ruby bit her lip, knowing that the fight they were in wasn't life threatening to her, so she nodded and readied her weapon in scythe form, focusing on Ren again. "Just stay out of the fight for now… You only have seven percent of your aura left before you're considered knocked out."

"R-Right." Weiss got to her feet and panted, letting herself get some rest before she would jump into another engagement.

Ruby shot herself forward, using electric dust from her scythe to send out lightning slashes in her wake. Ren did her best to dodge, and fire back at the same time, but his bullets wouldn't meet their mark as they were stopped by the lightning slashes shot out from Crescent Rose's blade.

" _I need to keep him from getting to Weiss."_ Ruby thought to herself, knowing that if she lost to the boy, her partner would be unable to defend herself.

While the two were fighting, Jaune continued blocking Yang's punches. "Might wanna drop the shield before it breaks." Yang smirked, and Jaune was getting pushed back.

"Ugh." The blonde boy attempted to shield bash his opponent, but when she sidestepped to the right, he could see the continued smirk on her face, only to be met by a punch to the face.

Somehow though, his aura didn't get as drained, so when he got knocked back, he seemed fine. "Okay… So you can take a punch." Yang commented, firing off explosive shells at the boy, but he quickly brought up his shield again. "Damn shields…"

Pyrrha looked over for just a moment, seeing that her partner seemed to be able to hold off Yang's attacks, so she smiled and nodded, going back to figuring out what Blake would do next. Her semblance was tricky, but if she could find a moment to catch her off guard, that would be it.

The cat Faunus held her weapon in pistol form, not attacking just yet to find a proper opening, but when Pyrrha chose to go in first, she responded with firing rounds at her, only for them to be blocked by her shield.

It wasn't hard for Pyrrha to keep her shield up at the angle of which she still had proper vision, so when she was close enough, she swung her spear at Blake, catching her using her semblance to dodge to the right, but Pyrrha was hoping for that, so she swept her legs and brought her spear up, using enough raw power to send Blake flying from her, draining her aura a bit.

Blake gasped as the force of Pyrrha's spear knocked the air out of her, only for her to land on her back against the ground. Gambol Shroud was out of her hands, and Pyrrha began firing at her when her weapon was in rifle form.

Due to how much aura she had left, Blake could only rely on her semblance for a bit longer, using it to dodge the shots, but didn't see that Jaune had gotten away from Yang for a moment. "Blake, look out!" Yang warned, but the cat Faunus wasn't expecting him.

Jaune slashed at her, only grazing her arm as she at least had enough time from Yang's warning to get a bit away.

The blonde brawler exploded in rage at the sight of her partner getting hurt, just because she couldn't take down Jaune. "You're gonna regret that, Jaune."

The boy in question grimaced when he saw Yang's blood red eyes. "Um… Pyrrha, a little help over here?"

Pyrrha didn't need to be asked, as she was already firing at Yang to keep her from getting to Jaune, but for some reason she seemingly accepted the shots. The scarlet huntress in training stopped when she realized what she was letting happen.

Yang grinned, her semblance powering up her punch as she ran at Jaune, hoping he would try and bring his shield up, so when he did, she punched it out of his hand. The blonde boy gasped in shock, only to be met with several punches that depleted his aura faster than expected. "Just cause you can take a punch, doesn't mean you're invincible." She growled.

Jaune had no chance there. He was happy to have gotten further with his training, but Yang was far more powerful than him at that point, his aura ending up in the red on a final punch that sent him to the ground.

Sadly in turn, Yang's aura had also dropped into the red, since Pyrrha had shot her enough times, and the use of her semblance at that strength drained her. "Damn it…" She cursed under her breath, knowing that with the rules they were using, she was out.

Blake was given enough time to get up from what her partner did, so she focused her attention back on Pyrrha, who seemed fully focused, even with her own partner being thrashed like that.

The cat Faunus knew she couldn't win, so she retreated to Ruby, who was still fighting Ren. Pyrrha, who hadn't taken Weiss into account, chose to press on her attack, not letting Blake get away.

Ruby yelled out, swinging Crescent Rose as fast as she could, making Ren back away until he got to the edge of the arena. He noticed Blake was running to him and Ruby, so he slid under a swing of Crescent Rose and shot at Ruby's back, making her almost fall off the arena, but it was just for a distraction.

He met Blake's blade head on, and looked over at Pyrrha, nodding to her. The red head knew what he wanted her to do, so she used some fire dust and charged up a powerful, focused attack, firing it at the two.

Blake's eyes widened when she heard the shot, and could do nothing as she and Ren were both hit, their auras dropping in the red from the fire damage. Luckily aura would be able to keep them from experiencing third degree burns.

Ruby quickly turned around when she heard the buzzer go off, seeing that Blake and Ren were on the ground, both out of the fight.

Pyrrha, who was still ready to continue, had enough aura to keep herself going, since she hadn't used her semblance yet.

"Oh man… Well… Looks like it's just you and me." Ruby bluffed, hoping Pyrrha wasn't one to check the screens, and since the scarlet haired huntress in training chose to not let Ruby out of her sight, she simply nodded.

Weiss watched from a distance as he partner was charging at Pyrrha, so she weakly walked towards them, almost falling as she felt weak. " _Have… To help her… Pyrrha will beat her if I don't…"_

It may have not been a serious fight, but for it to be Ruby, Weiss wouldn't let her partner go down, no matter what. So she felt her heart racing again, and her ears perked up as she howled, startling everyone again as she shot forward with a glyph supporting her, jumping on a surprised Pyrrha, who wasn't expecting Weiss to still be up.

When the white wolf landed on her, Pyrrha's weapons were sent sailing. So she looked up to see Weiss growling at her. "Give… Up…"

While Pyrrha could use her semblance then and there to grab metal around the area, she chose not to, mostly because she knew that even if she did, Ruby would be at her throat immediately with Crescent Rose. "Very well… I concede."

After hearing that, Weiss got off of her, but she couldn't stand anymore and fell to her side, hearing the gasps of her friends who hadn't realized how fatigued she was. The last thing she heard were the shouts of her girlfriend trying to wake her up.

* * *

 **The idea of giving her the use of glyphs will be explained, so don't worry. And no, it isn't exactly the same as the Schnee Family semblance. Again, more on what that means in the coming chapters. Hope this sparring match was fun to read.**

 **To JJ- Whitley is slowly getting there, and I like slow burns, so… Yeah he's got a long way to go, but it's a real approach I hope everyone will enjoy. And yeah, cheer Zwei is cute and funny. Ruby will always be affectionate and worrisome, so no shortage on that.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 66. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 67.**


	67. What Was That?

**Here's chapter 67, everyone.**

* * *

Summer was standing alone, a decent ways out from the warehouse, her only thought on the mission at hand, and what it meant to be apart of it. On one hand, she remembered Raven's words on continuing to honor who she is as a huntress. To not lose what made her want to be one in the first place.

And on the other hand, she couldn't bring herself to go on the same path as Raven. Her methods were tough, but they brought results. Yet on the more, ruthless side of her, she couldn't bring herself to go that far.

" _Why did I even suggest interrogation…"_

The blacksmith sighed to herself, cursing under her breath while debating on what was right and wrong. In her mind, she was doing something right. Helping a woman, not just any woman, but Weiss' birth mother, escape a life she was forced to endure.

Even then though, she still didn't enjoy what she may have to do for it. To kill others, was not something she would allow herself to do.

" _Hesitation will get you killed, so if you won't allow yourself to get something done in that way, then find an alternative."_

Raven told her that once. The woman who had given up on letting people live if it meant she'd die, but Summer was thankful to her for those words. It showed her that Raven accepted that she didn't wish to kill others, but it also showed her she was looking out for her, and hoping she'd find ways to stop a foe.

"There are other ways." Summer gently spoke, not saying that to anyone in particular, since she was alone to begin with. "I just need to figure that out…"

"Well, don't try to figure it out on your own, cause that's leaving me out of the loop." The voice of her husband said, startling her a bit as she lifted her head up to see Tai standing ten feet from her.

Summer's downed expression changed. She was instantly happy, and as she walked up to her husband, she embraced him with a hug for two seconds, only to pull away and kiss him. He was one of the few people in her life who would be able to bring light into a dark situation for her.

After pulling away from the kiss, the blacksmith leaned on him once more, feeling him wrapping his arms around her. "Hey, come on. Last time you were like this, it was because you stubbed your toe."

The joke made her smile, and she closed her eyes as she snuggled into him. "I'm just happy you're here… Thank you for coming over, honey."

"You know I wouldn't say no to you." Tai rubbed the back of his wife's head, gently running his fingers through her hair as he didn't let her go. "Do you want-?"

"Shh." Summer shushed him, snuggling more into him. "All I want, is this."

Tai let out a light chuckle, nodding to his wife, staying still and letting her have the comfort she needed. He remained quiet for her, waiting to ask the questions he had when he knew she was okay.

"I know you have questions, and I have answers. Trust me. I'm just… Taking it all in right now." Summer said, slightly pulling away from her husband. "So, if you have them…"

"How are you?" That was his first question, and the meaning behind it made Summer smile, as she leaned up to peck his cheek.

"Conflicted… But still a lot happier now that you're here." Summer answered, taking his hand to bring him closer to the warehouse. "Qrow and Raven are inside if you wanna know more about the mission we're on."

Tai already made his peace with Raven, having assured his wife he wouldn't let anything personal get in the way of their mission. "Yeah, knowing more will help, but what's gotten you like this?"

Summer sighed and let his hand go. "The mission isn't… It's complicated. And Raven told me that, there may be people who need to be…"

The trail off was evidence enough to give Tai the reason she was conflicted. "So that's what it is." He knew all too well about Summer's distaste in taking another person's life. "You know Raven won't make you do that, honey."

"What if I have to?" The blacksmith questioned, her eyes full of worry. "I told myself, there has to be other ways, and… I won't stop trying to find another way, but what if I can't in time? What then?"

"Then I'll be here to help you figure out that other way." Tai assured, reaching his hand out to gently caress his wife's cheek. "Don't try to take this on alone, honey. I'm here, and while I hate to admit it, even Qrow is here. We won't let anything happen that'll force you to take someone's life."

Summer lowered her head. She knew that would be his answer, and while it was nice to hear, it wasn't going to solve everything. People would find ways to get her in a situation where either her life, or another person's life was in danger, and if it meant she had to kill someone to save herself, or someone else, the blacksmith didn't know if she could truly do it.

"Come on. Let's get inside so I know the rest of the details on this." Tai gently walked her over to the warehouse.

"R-Right." While she was still unsure about some things, the blacksmith kept others in mind. She also hoped that once Tai was inside, he wasn't going to have trouble with Qrow or Raven, since that was the last thing she wanted to deal with on top of the added stress she already had.

"It's not about staying alive… It's about choosing to spare one of them. I just don't know if I can…" Lazuria said, her fists clenched in anger. "They've hunted more than just me, and you know this. After all this time…"

As she trailed off, Raven knew what she was going to say. "Sometimes I'd agree with you. People like that can't change, so what's the point of putting them in jail?"

Qrow spoke up, giving his sister a serious look. "The point is us not sinking to their level. We didn't train to be hunters to kill."

"Maybe not you…" Raven muttered silently, her own motives were not so open, even to her own brother.

Lazuria took a seat, the exhaustion of everything she's dealt with catching up to her. "Either way, sparing one of them isn't going to be easy for me… When I see them, I only see… I only see their blood."

Raven took her sheathed blade and laid it on the table in front of Lazuria, who looked surprised. "It's easy to forget how to view others differently sometimes. I've had enemies look at my blade, and their first instinct was defending themselves. Without my blade, well, they may not be as defensive."

"What's your point?" Lazuria asked.

"I don't want to frighten you, but have you ever thought that those people could be out there? Just on the streets without their armor, without their gear. You could have walked the same sidewalk as them before, and you wouldn't have known." Raven explained, and Lazuria tensed up.

"Maybe…" Lazuria took a breath to try and calm down at the thought, and as she looked at Raven's weapon, she wondered why the black haired huntress was telling her that.

"Just because you only see blood, doesn't meant you can't spare one. Don't think of the gear, the armor, the weapons they have. Think about your freedom." Raven suggested.

Lazuria truly wanted that. Freedom, and the chance to hug her daughter, so she took in what Raven said to her. "Sparing one of them… I never thought I would."

"Well, if you want to be free, you'll have to." Raven bluntly said, grabbing her weapon from the table.

Qrow spoke up. "My sister isn't wrong. It's our best shot, so you gotta be able to agree on this."

"Yes, I know. The only problem I can think of now is surveillance. I can't say when I'll be attacked again, so keeping to me day after day might be difficult." Lazuria explained.

Raven nodded, acknowledging the problems. "They could notice us and realize what we're doing. That is, if we get caught," She looked to her brother, who seemed confused by the look she gave him. "Meaning don't get caught."

"And why the hell are you looking at me?" Qrow questioned, dropping his flask on the table.

"I'm not even going to explain." Raven turned back to Lazuria. "Qrow and I will be hidden, though it's hard to trust my brother not to fuck this up." A groan was heard from Qrow, as he flipped his sister off.

"Summer and… Tai, will also be in the area, but not as close as we will be to avoid detection." Raven assured.

Lazuria thought about the plan and folded her hands, thinking more about what she'd be doing. "Is it too much to say this plan might need a miracle to pull off…"

"Try being optimistic." Qrow suggested as he took a drink from his flask. "My sister here likes being pessimistic, and that doesn't get her anywhere, trust me."

Raven glanced over and shot a glare at her twin brother. "Shut it and pass out already. No one needs to deal with you right now."

Lazuria sighed since the two siblings began to bicker, but she noticed Summer was walking in with who she believed to be the Tai, that Raven was speaking of, so she got out of her chair and met with them halfway. "You must be Tai."

Tai looked at the woman, her clothes weren't as tattered as they were when she met Raven, but there was still enough damage to see she had it rough. "Yeah, and I've heard a bit about you. I'm sorry for what you're going through."

A somber chuckle escaped Lazuria's lips, and Summer frowned hearing that. "I can't say I've heard a lot of people say they're sorry about that." Lazuria sighed. "Being hunted for this long, you tend to forget to connect with people."

The blonde huntsman pitied the woman in front of him. "Well, I'm here to learn a bit more about this. So if my wife here is helping, you can count on me too."

Lazuria looked at the couple, thinking of her own love. It wasn't something she could bring herself to picture though, not at the point she was at in her life, so all she could say to the man in response were two words. "Thank you."

Summer let go of Tai's hand and walked up to Lazuria, looking down for a moment as she took a breath. She lifted her head back up and gave the woman a determined expression. "We'll make sure to get you out of this."

The way she spoke. The softness in her voice. It reminded her of Willow. "No wonder she told you about me… I can see how much I can trust you." Lazuria let out a smile, and behind her, Raven had finally taken note of her husband.

"Tai…"

* * *

Cerulean eyes slowly blinked open. Light cascaded over them as she felt a person over her, and the cold tiles of the arena she was on under her. "H-Huh…"

A gasp was heard, and the white wolf could feel her fur was a bit wet on her back, since her partner had been crying on her. "Weiss!" She heard Ruby cry out, and as her vision cleared up, Weiss noticed that she was still on the arena.

The others heard Ruby's cry, so they ran over to check on the wolf, since they had given her and Ruby some space when she had collapsed. "What's going on…" Weiss asked as she slowly began moving her body.

Yang was the first to answer, the white wolf now seeing her worried eyes. "Thank goodness you're okay. We were about to call the nurse, Weiss." She helped her friend lay on her belly and gently hugged her.

Weiss was utterly confused. She was fine a moment ago, but she was suddenly just waking up on the ground. "I, Yang, what happened?"

Blake spoke up. "You collapsed."

Weiss' eyes went wide. "I… Collapsed?"

Ruby wiped a few tears away, and she had gotten off the white wolf to let her up. Yang removed herself from the embrace and her little sister began to explain. "Y-You used up all of your aura, Weiss."

"Oh… I guess that explains it." Weiss sighed, feeling like an idiot for risking using all of her aura for a simple sparring match. "Ruby, please don't cry for this… I'm fine now."

"But you weren't…" Ruby whimpered.

The white wolf looked around, wondering what she meant and noticed that Jaune was sitting down, his partner looking over him as Ren and Nora were near too. "What happened to Jaune?"

Yang chuckled, looking over at her fellow blonde with respect. "I'll tell ya in a bit. For now, we gotta make sure you're doing okay, ice wolf."

Weiss sighed and tried to get on her paws, but Ruby stopped her. "Ruby."

"Rest. Please." Ruby's voice was soft, and showed desperation in her pleas, so the white wolf chose not to go against the request and laid her head down. "Thank you…" Ruby hugged her from the side and rubbed her cheek on Weiss' fur. "Don't scare me like that again…"

Her words started making Weiss nervous. "W-What… How bad was I?"

Yang looked down, and Blake chose to relay the news. "Your heart was slowing down…" Weiss was shocked by that, and Blake continued. "That was when we were about to call the nurse, but," She looked over at Jaune. "Something happened."

The white wolf looked over at where Blake was staring at. "Did… Did Jaune do something?"

"Like I said, we'll tell you soon, ice wolf." Yang leaned over and rubbed her fur a bit. "Honestly, I'm kinda wondering how you made those glyphs."

Weiss tensed up, remembering the glyphs just then. Blake herself had a similar reaction, while Ruby lifted her head up. "No more questions." The team leader ordered. "I want her to get rest…" The way she wanted to protect her partner made the white wolf blush.

Yang didn't argue and nodded. "No problems here, sis. Get some rest, ice wolf. Once we get back to the dorm, we'll talk about, uh, well, all of that just now."

There were too many questions in her mind to simply ignore, but she knew Ruby wouldn't relent, so she simply closed her eyes and stayed laying on the arena floor. In the back of her mind though, she thought of one image. The spinning rune that had appeared in front of her during their sparring match.

" _Just what was that…"_

* * *

 **Tai and Raven have some words, and Weiss will need to learn more about what she had done. It's an idea I've been enjoying to work with, since it still kind of stays true to canon, while letting me have my own twist on it. And I'm sure for those who watched the show probably know what Jaune did.**

 **To JJ- Yup. She got glyphs, but to what extent is what you'll learn in the later chapters. Weiss will of course have some knowledge of how glyphs work through watching Winter train when she was younger. And I'm glad you're enjoying the slow burn. It's so much fun to write this way.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 67. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 68.**


	68. Her Glyph

**Here's chapter 68, everyone.**

* * *

Weiss opened her eyes, not wanting to waste any more time in the training room, since she had too many questions tugging at her, wanting to be answered. "Ruby, what did Jaune do… I'd like to know."

Ruby was surprised that Weiss wasn't going to rest up longer, so she looked over at the blonde boy. "We should get to the dorm first, but… Uh, well we think it might've been his semblance."

"His semblance? Are you saying he healed me?" Weiss questioned, since a healing semblance was quite rare.

"We're still not sure." Ruby explained. "I was… I was scared, Weiss. I thought…" She sighed. "Jaune ran over and checked your heartbeat, and he told us it was slowing down."

Yang noticed her sister was starting to have a difficult time talking about the past event, so she spoke up. "I can handle the rest, sis." She continued after Ruby nodded to her. "After he told us, we were all, well, we weren't exactly that calm about it. Almost called the nurse, but Jaune was begging you to wake up."

Weiss blinked a few times, glancing over at the boy, who was still catching his breath. "I didn't think I'd get that bad…"

"No one did, but after he begged you to wake up, his hands started glowing." Yang smiled, getting to the better part of what happened. "In a world like ours, it wasn't that surprising to see, but then your body started glowing too and you started to breathe a lot easier."

The white wolf was taken aback. "So… It had to be healing then."

Yang shook her head. "Like Ruby said, we're still not entirely sure. At one point Nora even cheered about him healing you, but Jaune didn't feel like that was the case."

"What else could it be?" Weiss inquired as she got on her paws.

Blake spoke up next. "He felt like he was giving you his aura, since Ruby checked our team's aura levels, and yours was starting to shoot up."

Cerulean eyes were wide open after hearing that, so Weiss turned to the boy and slowly walked over. "Jaune?"

The boy in question was still sitting on the arena floor, but once he heard his name, his attention was brought over to Weiss. "Huh, Weiss! Oh, are… Are you okay?"

"I feel like I should be asking you that." Her wolf ears were flattened against her head, feeling guilty over Jaune's exhaustion. "The others told me what you did… I… I can't thank you enough, Jaune."

Pyrrha was proud of her partner, being next to him and holding his arm to keep him from falling over. "H-Hey, don't thank me for that. I didn't even know I had a semblance to begin with… But I'm glad you're okay."

Weiss' tail swayed a bit, and she shook her head, giggling a little. "You know, with how you weren't as knowledgeable on dust, I'm not that surprised you didn't know you had a semblance too."

She hadn't said it in an offensive way, so the boy chuckled in response while rubbing the back of his head. "I mean, well, I was learning about it. Pyrrha was helping me actually." He glanced at his partner with a thankful smile, then turned back to Weiss. "I just didn't know I had one is all."

"Either way, thank you for helping me… And, I suppose you did have to touch my fur to do it." Weiss said, a little nervous about that, since she only let a select few touch her fur.

"O-Oh, right. Um, I'm sorry I did that. I just saw how Ruby was crying, and... And I couldn't sit there doing nothing." Jaune stated, showing how he's grown, and how he truly cared for his friends' wellbeing.

"It's okay." Weiss assured, even surprising herself. The circle of people she could trust was growing, and she sighed. "It meant getting me out of a nurse's visit, so, I don't mind it."

Jaune was relieved to hear that, and he rubbed his nose a bit, sniffling as he gave her a smile. "Right, well I think we should probably get back to our dorms. Using a semblance is really, really tiring… Wish you guys warned me about that." He attempted to stand, though with Pyrrha's help, it wasn't too difficult.

"Yes, I agree." Weiss said, walking back over to her team as she looked to her partner. "Are my aura levels okay?"

Ruby took a second to see, and when she saw Weiss' aura, she smiled. "Looks like it's back to full." The white wolf was shocked. Sure, Jaune had given her some aura, but she didn't think he'd be able to give her all of it back.

"W-Wow, well, I suppose I should change back." Weiss had a light blush on her cheeks, and Ruby used her semblance to grab her partner's clothes, bringing them over not moments later. "R-Ruby, if you could."

The rose girl knew exactly what her partner wanted, so she got the rest of her team, and Team JNPR to head out of the training room for now. When she got back inside, she gave Weiss a thumbs up and turned away, respecting her partner's privacy, but also making sure no one would walk in from the entrance.

Weiss closed her eyes and focused on her 'semblance', but she didn't change back. With a snap of her eyes shooting open, she gasped and tried again. And yet again, it didn't work. The erratic heart rate she was experiencing was almost overpowering her own thoughts.

" _W-What's happening?! Why can't I change back?! My aura is full!"_

The white wolf shook her head and took a deep breath. After a moment, she calmed herself down and focused on changing back. "Relax… Just relax…" After trying once more, she heard a sound familiar to her from her sister's use of her semblance. A glyph, yet again, right in front of her. Weiss began to tear up and started backing away from it. "No, no… I wasn't trying to do that… I want to change back!"

Ruby heard her that time, and once she turned back around to face her partner, she gasped and saw the glyph. "Weiss?" She ran over and got in front of the glyph, reaching out to it, but she stopped when she heard Weiss whimpering, so instead she chose to run over to the white wolf. "Hey, hey, come on. It's gonna be okay, Weiss." She tried to reach out to her, but Weiss refused and pushed passed her partner, looking at the glyph a lot closer.

"This can't be here… It can't…" Weiss said, reaching out to press her paw onto it. She gasped when she was able to feel the glyph. As she slowly moved her paw down, she shook her head. "It's mine… It's my glyph. But how…"

The rose girl could hear the distress in her partner's voice, making her frown as she wanted to help, but something like this wasn't exactly easy to comfort. Suddenly a person has two semblances? It's a question that Ruby couldn't even comprehend with what she's learned about the world.

Soon enough, the glyph disappeared and the white wolf lowered her paw, taking in what she was having to try and comprehend. "Weiss, whatever that was, there's gotta be a way to figure out what you can do with it, so-."

"It's a glyph, Ruby… I know what I can do with it. My sister is a master with my family's semblance, but me… I'm not supposed to have this. At least, I don't think I'm supposed to." Weiss sighed. "A person, no, every person in the world can only have one semblance. This shouldn't be possible."

"Is it really so bad?" Ruby asked, surprising Weiss with the question as the white wolf turned around, giving her a questioning look. "Your glyphs. I mean, what's so bad about having them? It means you have another semblance to use in a fight." The rose girl said, smiling to assure her girlfriend that it really wasn't as bad as she was making it out to be.

Weiss kept still, thinking about it for a moment as she imagined what she could do with glyphs. Her sister was a great example of a Schnee who has almost mastered the family semblance, and seeing her throughout her life did give her references on how to utilize glyphs in combat. "I-I suppose it would be useful to have, but that still doesn't explain why I have it."

"No, but we can figure that out together." Ruby chose then to hug her, rubbing her fur a bit to calm her down. "And I'll help with this semblance, just like I have with your wolf one."

"Ruby…" Weiss was beginning to finally relax, and she nuzzled her a bit, but chose to pull away after needing a moment to think. "I… I have to figure out how to even control it. Just now, trying to change back, I couldn't and that glyph just then appeared."

Hearing that, Ruby could tell why Weiss was still worried about having two 'semblances'. "Then right here, right now, I'll help you with it."

"W-With my glyphs?" Weiss asked.

"Yes, and with your wolf one." Ruby pumped her fists up. "Come on! It'll be fun, and remember that Jaune brought your aura back up to full, so you've got a lot to work with right now."

Weiss looked over at the exit to the training room, thinking about the others and how they had left already. "Okay, but let Blake and Yang know we'll be here for awhile. We shouldn't worry them by not showing up in the dorm."

"Right." As Ruby began sending the message to them, Weiss walked over to her clothes and noticed that her necklace had fallen off, so she smiled at it and waited on Ruby to finish up. Once she had, the rose girl realized what Weiss was doing, so she smiled and picked up the necklace for her. "I'll always make sure you have this with you, Weiss."

"Thank you." Weiss held still and felt Ruby tying it around her neck.

Ruby had an idea and decided to get her scroll out, taking a quick picture of the white wolf with her wolf pendant on. "You look so cute, Wolfy!"

Weiss blushed in response, looking away at the comment. "S-Shut up and hurry with helping me train…"

All Ruby could do there was giggle at how her girlfriend reacted, and the two got started on figuring out Weiss' new semblance, while trying to also get her original 'semblance' to activate.

* * *

Tai stared down his ex-wife. He never hated her, nor resented her, but there was still tension, and no one would blame them, nor could they. Even so, the blonde huntsman walked over, standing five feet away from Raven. "Raven, it's been-."

"Awhile. Yeah, I know." Raven clearly wasn't the best at making conversation, having to cut off most people she spoke to, even her ex-husband.

"Right, well… Look, obviously this was going to happen. Being on a mission again together." Tai started, and Raven was dreading this talk. "And we're both adults here, so we can handle this… Right?"

The black haired huntress crossed her arms, sighing a bit as she nodded. "I made a promise to get this mission done."

Tai was glad to hear that, and even with the tension, he was still able to bring up even the smallest smile he could. "It's really good to see you again, Raven."

Raven didn't say anything in response, not being able to as Qrow shoved her to the side, earning a glare from the older twin. "Give me the death glares later, sis." He smirked and turned his attention to Tai. "So, how was the flight? Didn't look out one of the windows, did you?"

The backhand comment only made Tai roll his eyes. "Make all the jokes you want. Doesn't bother me hearing it from a washed out huntsman."

Qrow stopped mid sip of his drink, giving his ex-brother in law and dirty look. "Oh is that right? Want me to show you just how washed up I am?"

Summer sighed, while Lazuria still looked a bit regretful on who she asked to help her. "Okay, okay, can you two please not do this right now? We have a mission to do, if you remember." Summer said, getting the two of them to back off each other.

"Eh, we'll settle this another time." Qrow said as he went back to taking a drink.

Tai rolled his eyes yet again. "You said that last time, and the time before that… And the time before that." He watched Qrow shrug, and the two huntsman stopped their squabbling there.

Summer noticed Lazuria was beginning to look nervous, so she gently took her hand in her own. "I know they argue, but I promise you, no, I swear to you that they are both extremely capable out in the field. They know when they need to get serious."

Hearing that helped Lazuria feel somewhat better, but she still had her doubts overall. Seeing as she was being hunted for seventeen years. "Yes, well, do you need me here to discuss anything still?"

"Honestly, this is a mission, so with what we're asking you to do, I think it's best to stick around till we're all done talking about it. Is that okay?" Summer asked.

Lazuria sighed, but she nodded, not having anywhere to really go. "Yeah…"

Summer walked her over to Tai, Raven and Qrow. "Qrow, if there's anyone you can contact about maybe getting us access to surveillance in town, that can really help, since we don't want to stay right next to her, but we can't lose sight of her either."

Qrow thought about it for a moment, but then he nodded to her. "Yeah, I got someone in mind. Don't worry about it."

The blacksmith looked to Raven next. "Is it possible you can link your semblance with Lazuria too? That way if you're far off, you can get to her in an instant."

"I… Don't tend to link my semblance with anyone outside of family, but… I guess I can make an exception here." Raven agreed, and Lazuria instantly looked nervous. "Relax, I know hearing a semblance linking to you can be unnerving, but it's just a portal I can use to get right to you. Nothing more."

"O-Okay." Lazuria breathed a sigh of relief.

Summer spoke with her husband next. "Tai, you and I will be support for in case the person sent in is a bit of trouble. Then once we know where their main base is, we can strike at it then and there."

"Before you continue, can I get a rundown on everything? It'll help to know who I'm looking out for." Tai said, and Qrow sighed.

"Gonna have to bring over that gear they wore." Qrow made his way to the outfit the Relentless member had on. Once he brought it over, he held it up to Tai. "You're looking out for someone wearing this when she's out and about."

Tai examined the gear, and once he had it in mind, he nodded. "Right, but I more meant everything about the mission." He looked to Lazuria. "My wife told me you're being hunted. Why?"

Lazuria began to explain what she was to the man, and what it meant to be hunted. From her kind, to the Relentless, Tai was shocked to hear it all.

After explaining everything, Lazuria took a breath, ready to reveal one last thing to the man. "One other thing… I choose to let you know this, since your team knows it. My daughter, someone I assume you know as well, seeing as your wife knows her, is Weiss Schnee."

* * *

 **The end part is for Tai's learning of who Weiss is related to really, so it's not meant to be taken as a big reveal, seeing as… Well, y'know, that was already known since chapter 1. And with Jaune's semblance, I didn't want it to take forever to be shown in a critical moment. Weiss wasn't dying here. Just not doing so well is all.**

 **To JJ- Yeah I didn't want it to be a long waited secret semblance that amounted to ruining a character like in the show. So he gets his semblance earlier. And don't worry. Weiss didn't almost die here. Her heart was slowing down, but only from exhaustion, meaning even if Jaune didn't have his semblance, she was going to be okay being taken to the infirmary. Just felt like a good moment to grow Jaune as a character a bit more.**

 **To the guest on chapter 67- You're pretty dang close on why she has glyphs. It's something I enjoy seeing people try and guess, since it's a plot point I came up with as I wrote with the flow, and who said we won't see her birth father ;)**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 68. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 69.**


	69. The Person I Was

**Here's chapter 69, everyone.**

* * *

Blake wasn't sure how she should feel. Making friends with two Schnees was a step in the right direction, in her mind, but to now see Weiss having the Schnee family semblance after all, well it outright confused the girl.

" _How is it possible?"_

"Thinking about what we saw in the training room with ice wolf?" Yang's question startled the cat Faunus, and she lightly chuckled in response. "Me too. It's… Pretty cool, but yeah, I don't get how she has two."

With a sigh, Blake nodded in agreement. "Back before, well before I came here to Beacon, I learned a good bit about the Schnee family, so their semblance was a bit of a big thing to learn about of them."

Yang shrugged. "Well, looks like ice wolf is a bit different with it. Still, it's pretty cool. Being able to turn into a wolf, and jump around on glyphs. Not a bad combination." Zwei barked up in response, almost like he was agreeing and Yang smiled as she rubbed his little head.

"You aren't even worried about it? I mean, who else in the world has two semblances? And… I don't know. Don't you think that might hurt her aura?" Blake surprised Yang, showing her that she was starting to show her own concern for Weiss.

The blonde brawler smiled, patting Blake's shoulder a few times. "She'll be okay, Shadowcat." Blake had a light blush on her face, but Yang chose to be mature about it. "I'm honestly kinda glad to hear that you're concerned for our ice wolf. It means you consider her a friend now."

"I-I already know I made mistakes about how I treated her." Blake said, but she did manage to let out a smile. "Being worried about a Schnee… I've been saying a lot of things about that. Being friends with a Schnee, being on a team with one. None of that matters anymore though."

"Because we're all just here to live and move forward with our lives. Gotta be, or we'd be boring zombies all day." Yang joked.

Blake nodded, but she still couldn't get Weiss' glyphs out of her head. "I think about this team, what you told me, and I don't know what I can really do to help at times."

"Hey, don't feel bad about it. With this glyph stuff ice wolf is dealing with, I don't really know how I can help either, but we can still try our best." Yang encouraged, but noticed something else was biting at Blake. "Is… There more to it than what you're telling me?"

"I'm just surprised you aren't asking me more about why I know a good bit about her family, or why I'd even need to know about her family in the first place." Blake explained.

"Am I supposed to? I think I'm fine with what you've told me already, Blake." Yang assured, smiling to show Blake she was telling the truth.

Blake rubbed her arm a few times. "Why?"

"Why am I fine with what you've told me? Well, because what kind of friend would I be if I just kept asking you questions about your life? It's your life, Blake, not mine." Yang could tell her ears drooped when her bow twitched. "But it doesn't mean I'm not happy learning more about you." That comment made Blake's ears perk back up under the bow. "So, is there anything you wanted to tell me? I'm all ears." Zwei barked again, and Yang patted his head. "Zwei can listen too."

"N-Not here." Blake began to walk to their dorm, and her blonde partner followed, with Zwei behind the two. Yang knew that she needed to be sure not to joke around for whatever Blake was planning on telling her.

* * *

The white wolf of team RWBY growled as she jumped away from Ruby's sniper fire, since their form of training her glyphs was to put her in a situation where she needed to use it. Weiss chose to not use Myrtenaster for her glyph training, choosing to focus on them instead of fighting back.

After skidding across the floor, she knew she couldn't dodge another attack, so she howled again, surprising herself, but Ruby had a feeling that it would happen. Just like before, the spinning glyph appeared in front of the white wolf, blocking the sniper shot that Ruby had fired at her.

The glyph cracked from the sniper shot, showing that Weiss' control and power over it wasn't that strong yet, and she howled again, accepting it that time as a second glyph appeared in front of the first.

"You shouldn't make too many at once, Weiss!" Ruby called out to her partner, not in a worried tone though.

Weiss shook her head, berating herself on the inside since Ruby was right. While she knew about glyphs, mostly through watching Winter, she herself had just been able to use them. "Right…" She saw that Ruby wasn't firing at her, so she walked over, looking up at her partner. "I'd like to try changing back now."

Ruby nodded, setting Crescent Rose on her back. "It shouldn't be too hard. Just like when you wanted to figure out how to not be a puppy." She giggled a bit at the memory.

One of Weiss' eyes twitched and the light growl startled Ruby, and the rose girl whistled innocently when she looked away, not wanting to see the angered look on the white wolf's face. "Don't start with me, Ruby Rose." She took a breath and closed her eyes.

" _Think about what I look like… That should be enough. No glyphs, just who I am."_

Saying those words had a different meaning than even Weiss knew, and as she tried to use her 'semblance', she could feel her aura, and figured that was a good sign, but when the light flashed in front of Ruby's eyes, it wasn't like before, and instantly the light faded, showing that Weiss was still a wolf.

"W-What? Nothing even happened…" Weiss said when she opened her eyes and realized she was still in her wolf form. "I didn't even change sizes… What is going on?!"

Ruby frowned, wishing she had the answer as she rubbed her partner's fur. "I-I don't know, but don't stop trying, Weiss." She pulled her scroll out and noticed the white wolf's aura didn't drop that much. "See, since nothing happened, you didn't lose any aura because of it, so you can keep going."

Weiss looked down, but only for a moment as she raised her head back up to see Ruby showing her aura levels to her. "What if I can't?"

"Don't say that." Ruby put her scroll away and hugged her girlfriend. "You just gotta keep training. I know you can do this." She pulled away, giving the white wolf a smile.

The white wolf took a breath, choosing to close her eyes again.

" _Okay… Okay, this time I can do it. No glyphs, no changing sizes. I want to be human. That's it."_

With those words in mind, their meaning was in fact different from the other words she used to change back. After a moment of feeling her aura, the light on her body shined and Ruby blushed, forgetting to look away, so when she saw her girlfriend naked, she instantly turned around, her face redder than her cloak. "I-It worked…"

Weiss gasped, seeing that it did, but when she realized why Ruby stuttered, and why she was turned around, she groaned and covered up with her arms. "J-Just close your eyes…" When Ruby instantly did so, Weiss ran to her clothes and took a few minutes to get dressed again. "O-Okay, you can open them."

Ruby slowly opened one eye, seeing that Weiss was fully dressed and back in her human form, so she sighed in relief and opened the other eye. "Sorry…"

The white haired teen rolled her eyes and walked over, flicking her on the forehead, making Ruby recoil back a bit as she started rubbing her forehead. "It's fine, just… Don't forget to look away when I'm using my semblance, dork."

"C-Can you blame me?! I forgot cause I gotta keep track of you having two semblances now, Wolfy!" Ruby exclaimed, and Weiss sighed.

"Yeah, I think I can understand that problem a bit more than you, Ruby." Weiss said in a somber tone, since controlling two powers wasn't exactly what you call simple.

Ruby stopped rubbing her forehead as she lowered her arms, feeling a little bad for the girl. "You'll get it to work, I know you will."

"Hmm." Weiss turned around, wanting to head back to the dorm. "I hope so, but for now… I think not using any semblance would be nice, so can we just go back to the dorm?"

While training more would be good for her girlfriend, she didn't want to overdo it with Weiss, so she nodded, running over and taking her hand. "Yup! Maybe we can play with Zwei too! I still remember the kissy faces you'd make when seeing him over a scroll call."

"Ugh, you know no one can resist how cute he is, Ruby Rose." Weiss defended as the two made their way to their dorm.

* * *

After Tai was informed of every little detail possible about Lazuria, her connections with Willow and Weiss, her plight, and everything else he needed to know, the blonde huntsman needed a moment to take it all in, sitting on one of the chairs in the warehouse they were in. "Wow… Um, wow. Soooo, this really isn't just our average mission, huh?"

Qrow rolled his eyes, leaning against one of the support beams. "I think that was pretty obvious with, oh I don't know, the group of people hunting other people."

Tai paid him no mind, and chose to look to Lazuria. "Why haven't you tried this before? Getting others to help you."

"I can't change the past, so I have no reason to answer that… Just know that I'm desperate and if I can at least live for the few years I have left-." She gasped when Raven slapped her in the back of the head, so she turned around and glared at the woman. "What the hell was that for?"

"Just stop talking and sit down." Raven ordered and the woman grumbled something as she took a seat. The raven haired huntress looked to Summer. "Everything we do from this point on is kept between our team, and Lazuria. Okay?"

"If you think I'll tell Willow… Then I get why you'd be a little cautious," Summer took a breath, glancing over at Lazuria. "But from what you said about this group, I don't want her or snowflake to get involved either."

Lazuria sniffled, thinking about her daughter as she nodded. "Thank you…"

Summer nodded back. "You're welcome." She looked back to Raven. "I promise not to mention this to Willow, just like I hope you can promise not to either, seeing as you'll be with her during training here and there."

"If you think I will, then you clearly don't know me well enough." Raven countered, and Summer chuckled in return.

"Right, well I think I'm ready to continue." Summer assured, even with her worry over taking a life, she wanted to get it done in the end for Lazuria.

* * *

"Ruby and Weiss are staying behind to train a bit, so you got me here without any interruptions." Yang said, watching as Blake locked the door, so she sat on Weiss' bed. "Making sure?"

"Yes." Blake sat on her bed, looking across at her partner. "Why do you think I don't like the Schnee name all that much?"

The question was a bit surprising, since she figured Blake was over that. "Uh, well, I'm gonna say Weiss' dad, but why even talk about that? You already know-."

"I know that Weiss and her mother, and I suppose her sister are not like what I've been taught to know about them, but her father is still… An enemy to me, and I can't say much on her brother either." The cat Faunus explained.

"Enemy? Blake, what are you talking about? Sure he's not the nicest guy out there and all, but calling him an enemy. Don't you think that's going a bit too far?" The blonde brawler said, looking a little confused.

Blake sighed, so she rubbed her scarred leg. "When I showed you this," Yang grimaced at the memory. "I told you that my last partner gave me those scars…" Again, that memory got another reaction from her partner, one of anger. "You never really wondered what kind of work I was involved with if I had a partner like that?"

"I don't know what you did, but I know if I ever see that guy's face, I'll-." She stopped when Blake glared at her.

"You'll do nothing, because you won't be able to fight a monster like him." Blake almost yelled, but kept it down to avoid anyone walking by their door to hear. "What I did… Was things I can't say I'll be proud of anymore…" Her cat ears drooped. "I used to think that fighting back the way I did was the way to finally get people to hear what my kind has to say."

Yang sat in silence, as she was not oblivious to how the world viewed the Faunus, and as she took her words in, she couldn't stay quiet much longer. "Okay, so what DID you do?"

Blake still had her weapon on her, so she grabbed it, only to place it next to her. "I used that… And fought alongside people that used to fight for Faunus Equality… Until they were pushed too far and chose a different form of fighting…"

As the words sank in even more so, Yang's eyes widened. "You… You hurt people? Did you-."

"I never killed anyone." Blake answered immediately, making Yang sigh in relief. "But I have hurt people, indirectly, and… Directly." She bit her lip, watching Yang's every reaction. "If you haven't figured it out yet, I was part of-."

"The White Fang…" Yang finished for her, and Blake looked down in shame, while the blonde brawler got up from Weiss' bed. "It wasn't hard to pick up on that when you said that the people you worked with chose a different form of fighting."

Blake looked up, seeing how upset her partner looked. "I'm sorry."

Yang walked over to the window, choosing to lean forward to take in the fresh air after she opened it. "Who are you saying sorry to, Blake?"

With her partner's back to her, the cat Faunus had to think about what she meant, and who she really was trying to apologize to. "You… Weiss… Ruby… All the people I've hurt." She took a deep breath, feeling her eyes watering. "I made a choice, and I still hate how the world treats us."

Turning around, Yang nodded. "I get that, and I don't really know what happened to you to make you wanna stay with a group like that, but it's like you said, you made a choice."

Blake continued to feel ashamed, almost wanting to leave the room so Yang wouldn't have to see her like that. "I never killed anyone…"

"You told me that, and I believe you, but is that why," Yang sighed, looking at her partner's scarred leg. "Is that why that piece of garbage did that to you?"

With one hand rubbing her right leg, Blake slowly nodded. "Disobey an order, and face punishment. It was how things went, all because they wanted 'proper' fighters."

Yang growled in response. "Even for them, that's not how things should be."

Blake somberly chuckled. "A lot of people in the White Fang would agree with you… Years ago, but now, it's nothing like back then. Things changed, and the only reason you saw me limping back then… Was to remind me of all the times he would hurt me… How I would limp from the pain." She clenched her fists. "It's so I never forget how things were, and to make sure I never have the urge to go back."

"Don't do that anymore." Yang said, and Blake gave her a questioning look. "You don't have to remind yourself of that." She walked over, choosing to sit next to her partner, who glanced down at her scarred leg.

"I can't trust myself." Blake stated, and she grunted when Yang punched her shoulder.

"Keep saying shit like that and I'll bring you back to the training room to knock some sense into you." Yang warned, as Blake rubbed her arm and scooted away.

"I'm serious, Yang!" Blake yelled, choosing to stand up, and as she was about to head for the door, she felt the blonde grab her arm. "You can't do this now."

Yang sighed, loosening her grip, but also getting up to keep her from leaving. "You're different now, and if you think about those times more and more, how are you gonna be able to keep moving forward?"

Blake gasped, feeling her partner completely release her arm, so she slowly turned around, staring at the blonde for a few moments before finally speaking up. "I-I don't want to end up that way again…"

"I won't let you." Yang assured, taking a step forward and embracing her partner. "I swear that you're gonna stay by our side, even after we graduate, cause no way am I gonna lose my partner." She closed her eyes, feeling Blake burying her face into her shoulder. "Face it, Shadowcat… You can't get rid of me that easily."

Hearing that made Blake slowly hug her back, as she thought about two people in her life. It was the two people she needed to talk to again, and she only hoped that they would forgive her for everything that's happened.

* * *

 **More Blake and Yang bonding and moments to set up for possible… Well, y'know. We'll see how it goes. Like I say a lot, I like going with the flow. And try to remember what Weiss said to herself when trying to change back and it failed. Something the readers know, but she herself will not.**

 **To JJ- Sorry about that, but hey, at least now you know it wasn't like she was close to dying. And seeing as this chapter answered your question, you can tell Weiss can use both powers, but yes, her glyphs are her semblance, while her shifting power is just what her kind can do. Also with Tai, you can see he's willing to help.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 69. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 70.**


	70. What You Do With It

**Here's chapter 70, everyone.**

* * *

"Oh, hold on," Weiss said as she and Ruby were walking down the hall together. She pulled her scroll out and her mother was calling. "Go on ahead, Ruby. I… I'm honestly going to need to speak with my mom about this by myself."

Ruby understood and quickly pecked her cheek. "I'll just be down the hall. Take all the time you need."

Weiss was grateful for that, nodding back to her girlfriend as she answered the call and moved to the side, sighing a bit. "Mom, hi."

"Hi, sweetie." Willow caught the sigh. "I was going to call to ask how you were doing, and it seems like I called at a bad time."

"Honestly, I think you called at the best time, mom." Weiss said, looking over at Ruby, who was already down the hall waiting for her. "Something… Something's happened here, and I just… I don't know how to explain it, or even why it's happened in the first place."

"Okay, take it from the beginning." Willow suggesting, showing a hint of worry in her voice.

Weiss had to ask. "Is it possible for someone to have two semblances?"

Willow held back a gasp, and luckily they were not in a video call for Weiss to see how she reacted to the question. "T-Two semblances? Well, I don't… Believe so." Her worries began to increase. "Why do you ask?"

"Because, I made glyphs, mom." Weiss' confirmation shocked her mother, and she was silent for several seconds. "Mom? Are you still there?"

"Sweetie, that's… I mean, are you absolutely sure you-."

"Yes. I'm sorry for interrupting you, mom, but it happened. I made a glyph, more than just one." She sighed again. "I don't know how I did. It doesn't make any sense." Weiss almost wanted to yell, but she held back. Willow was at a loss for words, so Weiss continued. "Mother…"

Willow had to say something, knowing how distressed her daughter was. "Weiss, our family has always had glyphs as our semblance, so… You must have manifested it." She couldn't think of anything else, knowing that Lazuria had warned her that it could happen one day.

" _I should have prepared better…"_

"But how? I shouldn't be able to when I have a semblance already." Weiss stated, and her heart began to race, seeing as her mother wasn't able to really explain it to her.

"W-Well, no one on the planet really has a true grasp on aura and semblances. And our semblance is rare, sweetie." Willow chose the softer approach.

"It still doesn't explain this…" Weiss frowned. "Turning into a wolf has always been my semblance, and just because I'm a Schnee-."

Willow cut her off. "Weiss, this isn't something to be scared of. You have two semblances, Snowflake. Isn't that something you should be happy for?"

"Not when I can't control them properly!" Weiss gasped, not wanting to have raised her voice against her mother, and Ruby looked over, feeling bad for her partner as she was about to walk over, but she shook her head, knowing that talking to her mom was what she needed. "I-I'm sorry, but… I can't even get a real grip on using them both. And I already had problems with my normal semblance, now I have glyphs… And, and it's just too much."

Just hearing that her daughter was experiencing a hard time with it made Willow almost regret not telling her the truth. "Using two… I… I understand."

"Ruby's been helping me, but I just, I just want to know why. Why do I have two semblances when I should just have one?" Weiss leaned back against the wall. "I never knew if I wanted glyphs for years." She took a breath. "I even accepted that I couldn't have it, but now… Now that I do, I'm scared of it."

Willow bit her lip, almost tearing up since she had to continue a seventeen year lie. "No, you are a Schnee." She needed to keep going, no matter what. "So you rose above the standard, more so than any of our family. You inherited our semblance, just like those before you, and you were able to manifest your own as well."

Weiss was taken aback, not expecting that. "But-."

"Snowflake, you don't need to know why you have two. What you do with both your semblances is what matters, and I know you'll do great things, whether you use glyphs or not. So don't be afraid." Willow's voice was encouraging, as she kept her promise to Lazuria, but also to herself. "You're at Beacon Academy, so act like it."

"Mom…" Weiss let out a small smile, though deep inside she was still afraid of what could have given her the power to use glyphs. "Okay, okay. I'll try."

"Remember what I said, with or without glyphs. I know you're going to become a huntress no matter what." Willow sniffled, but Weiss didn't say anything about it. "All you have to do is continue training, just like I will."

Weiss was reminded of that, and felt bad for complaining, since her mother had it pretty tough too, seeing as Raven Branwen was her instructor. "Right. I will." She felt a tear fall, so she wiped her face of it just as it fell. "Thank you, mom."

"You're welcome, sweetie." A moment passed, and Willow sighed. "I need to get going, but… Please, call me tonight, snowflake. I love you."

"I will, and I love you too, mom." Weiss ended the call and went to catch up with her partner.

* * *

Willow bit her lip, cursing under her breath as she knew that she'd have to find a way to get Weiss to believe her. "Lazuria… Maybe… Maybe if you were here things would be easier." She looked at the time and decided she wanted to train again.

" _I hope Raven isn't too busy."_

She sent her instructor the message and got dressed, knowing her son would ask her questions if he saw her leaving. Even so, she was still happy she was able to sit down with her son earlier that day, as it was the first time in awhile that she felt like she actually spoke to her son, and now the puppet Jacques was making him to be.

With that in mind, she was even more determined to do better in her training, and she made her way to the cabin she and Raven stayed at during training sessions.

It didn't take as long to get there, though the travel to where the cabin was, seeing as it was outside of the city was somewhat tedious. "She hasn't messaged me yet." Willow sighed and got into the cabin as she took her coat off.

The white haired woman thought more about her daughter in the alone time she now had, wondering why she was able to manifest a semblance at this time of her life.

" _I… I can't be surprised. Lazuria told me that she could still have a semblance, but for it to be the power of glyphs? How?"_

Before she could think more on that, she heard her scroll going off, so she looked over and saw that Raven was trying to call her. "Finally." She answered her scroll and spoke. "Raven, why didn't you answer my message?"

"Busy, and I wasn't expecting you to ask me to train you today." Raven explained. "Are you at the cabin already?"

"Yes. I thought that even if you didn't answer, I could do a bit of training by myself." Willow said, smiling a bit since she was getting a lot better at using her semblance because of Raven's help.

"Hmm, well I'll see if I can get there soon…" Raven trailed off, thinking about something specific. "How long are you planning to train for?"

"Huh? Oh, well I usually just wait till you tell me we're done." Willow answered, and as she did, Raven had more to think on. "Why do you ask?"

Raven didn't answer immediately, as something in the back of her mind was telling her to worry. "Look, just don't go to the cabin without me okay. I didn't think you'd even go until you told me."

Willow wasn't sure why Raven would tell her that, so she pressed on. "Why shouldn't I? I simply felt like training a bit, so-."

"My cabin, my rules, Willow. So just stay put and don't even try to argue." Raven ordered, and the white haired woman scoffed at that. "And don't complain either. I thought me training you would break you out of being a complaining housewife."

"Raven Branwen! I will not sit here and take this from you! I am not-." Before she continued, she heard a chuckle.

"I was screwing with you on the housewife thing, but seriously, just stay in the cabin till I get there… Please." Willow was taken aback by Raven's plea.

"W-What… I… Okay, fine." Willow sighed. "I'll wait till you get here, but you're going to explain to me why you wouldn't want me here without you."

Raven groaned, wishing that Willow would drop it, but she knew the woman wouldn't. "Fine, whatever. Just sit put and don't break anything while I'm not there, or you're paying to get it fixed. And no, you aren't allowed to use the company's money."

Willow rolled her eyes in response. "Like I would need to use that man's money. Besides, unlike you, I handle things with care."

"You're just giving me more ammunition to call you a housewife." Willow seethed as she could tell Raven was smirking.

"Get over here and I'll show you what a housewife can really do." Willow challenged, blushing slightly from the comment, not knowing why she was.

"Uh huh. We'll see what that amounts to when I get there." Raven's smirk didn't fade as she continued to tease the woman. "And if it doesn't, well I think I'll have something to refer to you as during training."

"You're not going to enjoy what I do to you, Branwen." Willow ended the call, not letting the woman come up with a response as she sighed and laid back on the bed. "Ugh… That woman gets on my nerves so much…" She was still blushing a bit, and shook her head.

" _Either way, this isn't the time to think about Raven…"_

She was referring to her daughter, and what she could do to help.

* * *

It had been a bit since Blake told Yang about her past. "I promise I'll tell Ruby and Weiss… Just-." Blake couldn't continue since Yang poked her on top of the head, right between where her ears were.

"You tell them when you're ready, just like how you told me when you felt it was time." The blonde brawler gave her partner the kindest smile she could, while Zwei barked after, basically agreeing with Yang.

Blake blushed when she saw the smile, so she sighed and nodded. "R-Right. Thank you."

"Don't mention it." Yang patted her shoulder a few times and stretched a bit. "That sparring match took a bit outta me, but I think I'm still good to do whatever for the rest of the day. What about you?"

"I don't really have a lot to do to be honest…" Blake admitted, and before she could continue, she heard the door opening.

"We're back!" Ruby declared as she and Weiss walked in, and her sister instantly walked over to the white haired teen, who looked concerned for her ever since they left the training room.

Yang reached out to Weiss to pull her into a hug, something the team knew would happen with how protective Yang was of her team. "Hey… Ya feeling okay, Ice Wolf?"

"Y-Yes… I suppose." She buried her head into Yang's shoulder, needing all the help she could get. "I don't know why I have this… I don't know how it happened, but," She pulled away from the hug and showed Yang she was feeling better. "It's what I do with it that matters."

The blonde brawler was glad to hear that, so she helped Weiss over to her bed. "Gotta say, that sounds like something mom would say." She was referring to Summer.

Weiss smiled, since it was actually her mom that told her those words. "Mom was actually the one to tell me that." She sighed still, taking a moment to gather her thoughts. "I'm still nervous. No one can have two semblances, but I'll try to figure things out as best I can."

Blake spoke up. "What did happen though? I mean-."

Weiss already knew what she'd ask, so she interrupted her. "I don't know how, but I do have a second semblance. No other person was around, and only when I focused on using either semblance did it show up."

"I-I'm sorry." Blake felt a little bad, having asked the question, but Weiss shook her head and even managed to smile.

"Don't be. I'm sure Jaune and his team will have questions too, but for now, the only real answer is that I somehow manifested my family's semblance… I don't know if I can summon like my sister, but-."

"Oh! I forgot about that part!" Ruby exclaimed, rushing over to her partner, who in turn yelped and scooted away from the overly excited girl she called a partner and girlfriend. "You gotta try it at one point!"

Weiss felt one of her eyes twitch, since Ruby was a hassle for her at times. "Ruby, I literally started using it today. Summoning takes years of practice. Don't expect me to even during our fourth year." Ruby mumbled a bit, and Weiss crossed her arms. "Would you like to share what you mumbled, you little dork?"

Ruby crossed her arms in a mocked fashion, which resulted in Weiss rolling her eyes. "You don't need to ruin my excitement, Wolfy."

"I swear, you are such a child at times." Weiss retorted, and Yang snorted, almost looking like she could burst out laughing any moment. "And what's so funny, Xiao Long?"

"Just that," A chuckled managed to escape Yang's lips. "You and Ruby are the biggest dorks in Beacon."

Both Ruby and Weiss blushed in return, but instead of staying quiet, Weiss decided to try something and held her hand out, thinking about using a glyph. Yang looked a little confused, but her eyes widened when she realized what Weiss was trying to do.

Before she could do anything, she felt her leg was stuck because a glyph appeared around it, keeping her in place. "H-Hey! What happened to what you do with your semblance is what matters?!"

Weiss got up from her bed and walked over, smiling as she didn't feel like messing with Yang any further, so instead she hugged the blonde, surprising her, while Ruby and Blake looked happy for how Weiss responded. "You're starting to make things too easy for me on the teasing department, Xiao Long… Thank you." She closed her eyes and the glyph disappeared.

"Ice Wolf…" Yang hugged her back and rubbed the back of her head, but she glanced over at Blake and nodded to her, which the cat Faunus simply smiled back, feeling at home with her team even more than ever, all because of Yang.

* * *

 **Not much to say here, so I guess I can ask a question. For how the story is going, the characters in them, specifically the main four girls. Do they seem to be written well? As in their speech, and ways they express emotion.**

 **To JJ- Yup. Weiss is able to use both, but not to the fullest yet. Can't speed that up just so easily. With Yang, she's been very supportive of Blake this story, and will continue to be that supportive person Blake needs. For Lazuria, the smack was what she needed. Gotta know people are willing to help.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 70. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 71.**


	71. I've Missed This Feeling

**Here's chapter 71, everyone.**

* * *

"Took you long enough." Willow greeted her instructor as she got up from the bed, but as she walked over, Raven pushed her back onto it, making her gasp. "R-Raven, what was that for?!" She scowled at the woman.

"That was for showing up here without me." Raven glared back, her original teasing having faded since she realized how dangerous things could get for Willow. "You don't have the skill yet to protect yourself without me out here."

Willow didn't understand her concern. "What are you talking about? No one is out here, and I-."

"White Fang." Raven used that as an excuse to lie, though in a way, it was a concern too. "What if there was one that followed you here? What then? You'd be alone and defenseless."

"You've trained me for that very reason, Branwen." Willow got up again, though Raven chose not to push her back down. "If you don't trust me to keep myself protected, then why even train me?!"

Raven didn't back down, since the more serious threat in her eyes was The Relentless, since they could easily have kept watch over Lazuria when she showed up at the cabin. "We've not gone far in your training, so if you think you can just fight a bunch of them so easily, then maybe training you was a waste of time after-."

Before she knew it, Raven felt the palm of Willow's hand connect with her face, making her stagger back a bit in shock as she held her hand to her face. "Don't you dare call me a waste of time!"

"I-I didn't…" Raven was surprised with how the woman raised her voice, and as she lowered her hand, she could see the anger, and the tears falling down her cheeks.

"You think just because you're a huntress, or because you're out there alone most of your life, that you can say things like that to people? Is that what it is, Raven Branwen?!" Willow was only angry because she had already felt the sting of not being able to help Weiss with her glyphs, and Whitley with his father.

"Enough." Raven was defiant in her stance. "You're overreacting for no damn reason, so shut up and just calm the hell down already."

"Calm down? Calm down?" Willow was done bottling her emotions. "Don't tell me to calm down when I've had to deal with a man who I hate more than anyone in the world! And how I can barely speak with my son! And how I can't even help my own daughter with her semblance!" She stomped forward and stared her down. "Calming down is a luxury I don't have!"

Raven was stunned, more so than she thought the woman can make her be. "You're…" She sighed and took a step back. She examined the woman, who was breathing heavily and some tears fell again. "You're right. That was wrong of me to say to you. I apologize."

Willow was shaking, and even hearing the apology wasn't enough, so she turned away to avoid Raven seeing her cry. "Forget about training today…"

"No." Raven said outright, and Willow knew she couldn't argue, so the huntress continued. "We're training, and you're going to show me what you can do." She opened the door and walked outside, but she held it open still. "Let's go."

She knew why Raven was doing that, so Willow said nothing and followed her outside. "What are we doing…"

"What you're doing is showing me what you can do now." Raven crossed her arms, waiting on the other woman. "Everything you told me, don't use that." Willow was confused on her wording. "Getting angry and using her semblance. Don't. You already said what you needed to say, so, go on and show me."

Willow took a breath, feeling the cold air around her as she now had her daughter in mind.

" _Weiss is learning how to use glyphs now… Something I've been doing. If I can learn more about my glyphs, maybe I can help with hers."_

Another drive, another reason to work harder, and as she found it, her aura was ready to allow her to use her semblance. Willow held her hand out and a glyph appeared, but something was different about it as it was colored black. Remembering what Winter could do, she jumped onto the glyph and it gave her a higher jump, surprising Raven who was alarmed by how high she jumped.

"H-Hey." Raven was about to try and catch her, but Willow casted another glyph to land on, again, surprising Raven at how she was able to catch herself.

Willow still felt the drain of her aura, but it wasn't as bad as usual. She turned around, still looking upset about her outburst. "There…"

Raven sighed and walked over to the woman. "I didn't expect you to be able to do that yet… You've impressed me." She watched as the woman wasn't able to show much emotion from her praise. "What can I say to you to show you I didn't-."

"Stop." Willow's voice was quiet. "It's… I shouldn't have yelled like that." She looked down at the snow, her tears falling onto it. "My family is scattered around Remnant. Weiss is in Vale, Winter… Could be anywhere. And Whitley is here in Atlas. Even with him in Atlas, I can't do much for my children. I was just… So angry."

Raven stayed quiet to allow her to continue, knowing she needed to vent.

"You don't know this, but… Weiss can use glyphs now." That revelation, while a shock to Raven, only made the huntress believe it was because of her heritage. "She's afraid of it, and I'm here, in Atlas."

"You're not ignoring her, and she's dealing with something no one, at least to my knowledge has dealt with. So don't feel like you aren't helping her." Raven could be even more blunt, but for some reason she didn't want to be.

Willow raised her head back up to face her. "It's more than that… It's more than you could know."

"Try me." Raven had a feeling what she was going to tell her.

"I can't…" Willow sniffled and tried to walk to the cabin, but Raven held her back. "Raven… Please."

"Listen, just don't." Raven walked Willow back into the cabin and sat her down. "It's okay to be upset, and even if you can't tell me why, don't you feel like you shouldn't keep yourself down? You haven't with Jacques."

Willow shook her head. "This is… There's too much going on, and I can't do it by myself anymore… So, why do you want to help? I know how you are."

"You're not wrong. I still believe that some should fight without having to rely on others, but." She sat next to Willow, choosing to go with a softer approach. "Sometimes when the world wants to push you back, asking for help to fight back isn't as bad as I make it out to be."

Hearing her words, and how soft she was speaking made Willow tear up, so she rested her head on the huntress' shoulder, earning a light blush from Raven. "You've changed too."

"I don't believe so." Raven responded, and she wrapped an arm around the woman. "I'm just deciding to help someone who's dealing with the worst man on Remnant, and whatever else you have on your mind."

"I… I just-." Willow was cut off.

"You can't tell me. And I won't ask. You have something though," Willow waited on what the huntress would say. "A goal. To reclaim your own life again, away from Jacques."

"There's more than just Jacques… More than my own children." Willow cried freely, unable to hold back the tears. "I've lost someone in my life, someone who I can never see again… All because of bullshit!"

Raven knew exactly who she was talking about, but she couldn't let her know that she knew. "Live for them then." Willow's eyes widened and she looked up at Raven, who simply looked forward. "You train for your kids, and to grow as a person too." She felt Willow scoot away so Raven turned to face her. "You're here now, and whoever this person is… Well I don't know where they are, whether they're gone, or somewhere out there… You are here, because of them. Live for them, and honor them in what way you can."

"I-I have… But I just wish… I wish they could be here. To live their life, to be here for the one person she should be with." Willow wiped her tears away. "It's not fair."

"No, it's not." Raven sighed, thinking a bit about Yang in that moment. "What you said, it reminds me of… Yang. You and Summer are such pests."

Willow heard Raven give her a somber, yet light chuckle. "Raven, I didn't-."

"I'm not done. About how you wish this person was here for someone, whoever they are. They're not for whatever reason, right?" Raven asked, and Willow could only nod in response. "I don't know why they aren't around," A lie. "But I know that I wasn't around for Yang, someone who deserved to have their mother around. It wasn't fair because I made it unfair."

"That's… That's in the past, and you've talked to her, and you kept your promise that day." Willow scooted closer again.

Raven shook her head. "Don't give me excuses. I know what I did, but the reason I brought it up was because it's true. Things aren't fair, but just because it's not fair, doesn't mean you should quit."

"I'm not quitting." Willow stated. "More and more just happens, and I don't know if I'm strong enough to do anything about it…"

"I didn't train you all this time to hear you say that." Raven surprisingly said, and Willow blushed. "Your kid, Weiss, she'll figure things out. She's at Beacon for a reason. Whitley, you'll deal with the dumbass you call a husband, so he'll be fine too. As for that person-."

"Lazuria…" Willow couldn't hold back. "Her name is Lazuria."

"I see." Raven took a few moments, and she placed her hand over Willow's. "This Lazuria. Tell me, is she dead? Is she alive?"

"I don't know… I wish I did, but I just don't know." Willow began to cry again. "That's why it hurts so much," She felt Raven holding her hand tighter. "I can't tell you everything, but because of… Something, she can't live her life, or hold her daughter in her arms."

"Forced to not be with her family, so yes, I do get it." Raven did something she learned from her own daughter. The huntress pulled Willow in and hugged her, knowing everything already, and feeling sympathy for the woman, seeing as she was slowly breaking with each passing issue she had to face. "This is why you need to live for her. Don't think about the past, like you told me."

Willow cried into Raven's shoulder, wishing she could somehow let go of the past, but no matter what, she wanted Lazuria back, and to let her hold Weiss again. "I envy a lot of people… It's wrong to envy someone, but I do." She sniffled. "Summer offered to take me in, my family, and I declined."

"You had your reasons." Raven reminded.

"If I was strong enough back then-." She stopped herself, remembering what Raven said. "How do I live on for her?"

"Beat the hell out of your husband and take your company back." Raven answered, and while it sounded like a joke, she was dead serious. "You taking over, that is the moment you take back your life," She pulled away and fixed up the woman's hair, while wiping some tears away. "If you hire me, maybe I can deal with him for you." She smirked, and Willow was taken aback, but in a good way as she started to laugh a bit.

"Y-You would honestly be a big help in that regard," Willow shook her head, lightly laughing a bit still. "To think a joke like that would make me laugh." She sniffled. "That's how bad he's made things for me."

Raven squeezed her hand again. "Honestly the man won't find anyone else to take him in once you deal with him. After that you can rub it in his face on how rich you are in comparison to the kind of trash he'll become."

Willow playfully rolled her eyes. "Yes, because that's my ultimate goal, to own all the money in Remnant so I can overthrow the kingdoms."

"As long as you let me stay around, I'd be fine with it. Oh, and try to make my brother a jester. That would fit him pretty well." The two shared a few laughs at that, and Willow sighed, looking down at their hands.

"I've… I've missed this feeling." Willow remembered how Jacques used to treat her. With compassion, and what she now believed to be fake love, but at the time, she would smile and feel happy.

Raven looked down to where Willow was looking, and she chose to pull her hand away. "Hmm… Right, well I would say you've spent enough time on break. You still have more training to do, and I'm not about to be called out here for you to slack off."

Willow watched as the huntress got up from her bed and walked to the door. "Raven… I… Thank you for not throwing me out." She got to her feet as well and walked over to the woman, who led her back outside.

"Throwing you out would be too easy." Raven retorted. "Now I want to see you working more on that glyph that propelled you up. It can be a useful evasion tactic, as well as an offensive one."

"Would you believe me if I told you that wasn't what I was expecting to do?" Willow let out a small smile, and giggled when Raven facepalmed, so she walked forward. "Don't worry, I'll figure it out." She glanced over her shoulder. "You know, we could make another deal."

Raven crossed her arms. "Last time we made a deal I ended up traveling across kingdoms."

"A cross kingdom trip would be a girl's dream in all honesty. So maybe you could embrace it a bit." Willow suggested and prepared a glyph. "Or are you trying to come up with an excuse to not make a deal with me?"

"Implying that I'm scared doesn't work here, so what ridiculous deal do you have for me this time, Willow Schnee?" Raven questioned, waiting on the woman to tell her.

"Hmm," Willow thought about it for a moment. "If I can figure out a way to disarm you during a combat course, you have to take me on a, what is it you call it, a hunt."

Raven's eyes widened. "W-What? No, you're not ready for a hunt, so-."

"Sounds to me like you're scared I'll actually disarm you, Branwen." Willow smirked and faced her instructor, who groaned and rolled her eyes.

"You'll be someone to look after…" Raven stated, but she knew Willow wasn't backing down, so she shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Fine, but you won't be able to disarm me, so I'm not worried."

Willow said nothing else and turned back, focusing on her semblance as she held her smirk.

" _You've made the mistake of already telling me you believe in my abilities, Raven. I'll prove to you that I can live up to your expectations."_

* * *

 **What? You think those two are getting closer? Wait… Hmm… They might. Okay, seriously though, Willow needed this chapter, so that's why there were no swaps to the others. As for Raven, I like to remind people that her history and character are very different here, so how she acts will be drastically different from the show.**

 **To JJ- Thanks. Glad you liked their conversation, since it was a tough one to write. Lazuria does have a semblance, yes. And now you see why Raven wanted to talk to Willow at the cabin. As for the question on how far Weiss' glyphs can go, I'll let the story answer that in time.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 71. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 72.**


	72. That Day

**Here's chapter 72, everyone.**

* * *

"You really made that kind of deal with her? Wow, well I'd say good luck, but I'm sure you'll surprise me on that, Willow." Summer said over the scroll. The blacksmith was in her office at Beacon, since she still needed to show up for work, even with the mission still on her mind. "Just try not to make her too angry, kay."

"Hmph, that's clearly not too hard to do." Willow commented, though she was just teasing.

Summer chuckled in response. "Mhmm, so are you training right now or are you home?"

"Home, since Raven isn't fond of me going to the cabin to train by myself." Willow sighed. "I understand her concern, but it's not like I'd let anyone follow me there to begin with."

Knowing things she couldn't outright say, Summer already knew why Raven was so hesitant on Willow going there alone. "I think it's just Raven's way of saying she likes training you is all."

"You weren't there at the time. She shoved me back on the bed because I showed up here without her. It's ridiculous." Willow complained, though Summer couldn't blame Raven for how she reacted.

"Well you know Raven. She's not a pushover, so maybe she was just a little on edge that day." Summer said, trying her hardest to convince Willow not to be upset with the huntress.

Willow wasn't trying to hate what Raven did, nor was she trying to make her feel bad, but she just wasn't comfortable keeping quiet about how she reacted. "Pushover or not, I don't feel like it's right of her to treat me like a child. I may not be a huntress like you two, but that doesn't make me vulnerable."

"And I know that. You're doing a great job with your training, but remember that even when her and I were training back in our younger days, we didn't fight the same as we do now." Summer reminded. "We took things slow and learned the basics first."

"You don't think I know that?" Willow questioned, her tone getting to an annoyed point. "I'm not expecting to fight Grimm, I'm not expecting to fight at all, but how can I ever hope to defend myself… From the one person I know I'll have to confront again."

Summer always hated the thought of Willow having to deal with Jacques. It wasn't like fighting Grimm, or criminals out in the streets. For Willow, it was the fight against a man who can ruin her family's lives by just being who he is.

"He's already seen how you can be. It's not a fight he can-." Willow chose to stop Summer there.

"It's a fight neither of us will come out of unscathed, and no, I'm not downplaying what you and Raven do. To risk your lives out there, it's selfless and I respect you and her highly, but no matter what, if you end up killing the Grimm you face, their fight is over. Me, my children, Jacques. All of us will continue to suffer in some way when either of us loses." Willow spoke truth, and her words cut deep into her own heart as she knew the pain that would be brought if she dealt with Jacques.

Hearing it said that way, even Summer couldn't think of a way to really resolve the problems Willow and Jacques have. "I-I wish I was able to help you more… It hurts, Willow. Seeing and hearing all the things you and that man are fighting for."

Willow was composing herself, not trying to break down as she nodded. "No one can really say what's right and wrong, and everyone on the planet would agree with them. He has supporters, people who praise and look up to him."

"They support a man who'd lie, scare and harm to get what he wants. If they believe he's a good man, then they can join him where he ends up." By that, the blacksmith of course meant incarceration.

"You'd be… Well, I don't know. To me, sounding like that and knowing what it means. Yes, I'd easily agree with you, but others won't. That's what bothers me the most." Willow clenched her fist.

"No one on the planet can be liked by everyone, and no one can tell you how to feel, Willow." Summer said, using a more vocal tone than she had previously. "What he's done to you and your kids is unforgivable."

"I appreciate you saying that, Summer, but I don't need to be reminded of that." Willow admitted, and Summer felt bad about that. "I've come to terms with it… Not having the man I loved once in my life anymore, and what he's become. It's what comes after…"

"You live!" Summer yelled, surprising Willow. "You just keep on living, damn it! What'll be in your way at that point, huh? Ask yourself that, Willow."

There was no question that she'd have a better life, so she did just that and asked herself.

" _What would stand in my way? White Fang? I can't be afraid of them… Jacques' supporters? No… No he'd have no supporters anymore."_

Willow's eyes widened, and she realized there was something that could stand in her way. "Myself… Me, Summer…"

"What? No, you're not-."

"I've lied to my daughter for seventeen years, and not just her, but all of my children." Willow couldn't lie to herself about that. "Winter and Whitley, they don't know about Weiss… They don't know." She kept her voice as quiet as possible.

It was a tough scenario to simply try and talk out. Summer knew that. "They could…"

"I-I can't. I promised her, Summer…" Willow felt her tears falling, and she couldn't stop them. "This is what I meant. Why I'm the one." She wiped a few tears away. "They'd never know… She'd never know."

Summer hated it. Because she was also keeping secrets, one that could drag Willow into a fight she couldn't take part in. "Damn it… Why can't you?" That was the moment the blacksmith had realized how painful it was, and how she had to at least try to push through a boundary.

"What would she be able to do if I did? She can't do anything about it." Willow explained, though it hurt to. "Weiss would want to know who she is, where she is… I don't even know if she's alive... "

"I…" Summer bit her lip, suppressing it as much as she could. "You don't know if she's dead either. M-Maybe your little snowflake can know… Willow, she-."

"Of course I want her to know!" Willow cried harder, and everything went silent in her mind.

* * *

 **Seventeen years ago.**

"Lazuria?" Willow gasped as she walked into her old friend's home, seeing how hurt she was . "W-What happened?!" She ran over immediately after closing the door behind her.

The other woman coughed, with some scratches and bruises on her. "I-I was… I was caught." She cursed under her breath and had clearly been crying beforehand. "Damn it, no…" She cried into her hands while she was sat on her couch.

Willow knelt in front of her, inspecting the damage on her body. "W-Who did this to you?" She was angry, as Lazuria was truly like a sister to her.

"I-I don't… Willow, please," Lazuria leaned her head back, groaning in pain from her injuries as Willow ran over to one of the medicine cabinets. "D-Don't waste your time."

"Shut up." Willow replied, choosing to rummage through more of the cabinet in hopes of finding something for her friend.

"I'm being targeted…" Lazuria simply responded, and Willow froze, her heart's rapid pace having increased, and she slowly turned around to face the injured woman. "I'm marked…"

Willow dropped one of the bottles she had in her hand and felt tears begin to well up. "No… No, you're not…" She ran over and grabbed her arms, shaking them a bit as she couldn't believe her words. "You are not!"

"I am, damn it!" Lazuria pulled her arms back and Willow backed away, watching as her oldest friend got up and looked her dead in the eyes. "Nothing can be done now… Except… One thing."

Hearing the stories about her kind being 'marked', seemed like a nightmare that couldn't possibly be true, but in reality, it was. "What do you mean… We can-."

"We can't do a thing, not against it, but this isn't about me…" Lazuria looked to the other room, crying more as she realized Willow understood immediately, and she ran over to it. "Willow…" She couldn't stop her friend, so she waited.

Willow opened the door to see her. She knew. The newborn wolf pup was in a blanket, and Willow began to cry harder. "No… No, no, no…"

Lazuria slowly walked over, her injuries keeping her from moving any faster. "Her father… He helped deliver her… But he's, he's left us." She lowered her head, hurt by the events transpiring in her life.

Hearing that made Willow freeze. "Y-You're joking. W-Why would he leave at a time like this?" She kept her voice down for the wolf pup. "She was just born and-."

"Not just born… She's about sixteen hours old." Lazuria looked down at her child and let out a somber smile. "She has a future still." The wolf pup would move around a bit in her little blanket, and Lazuria knelt down. "I named her… I named her Weiss."

Willow felt her body shake a little, as she continued to cry for her friend. "Why?"

"Because I thought of you… Her name fits well, does it not?" Lazuria didn't take her eyes off her daughter, and she leaned close to kiss her forehead.

"You know that's not what I asked…" Willow clenched her fists, wishing she could find where Weiss' father had ran off to. "How could he do this…"

"We both chose this." Lazuria started. "I called you here today so you can… So I can ask of you something that I can go to on one else for."

"S-Stop, we need to call the police… A hunter, anyone. We can fix this, Lazuria. We just have to try." Willow continued to beg her closest friend, hugging her as she finished and she cried into her shoulder. "I can't lose my sister... Please."

Lazuria wrapped her arms around Willow, and they stayed there for a few moments. "You know I love you, Willow. Blood is not what makes a family, so… I want you to look at Weiss, as your daughter…"

Willow gasped and she pulled away, knowing what she meant. "You can't do this… Where is he?! Where did he run off to?! He has to-."

Lazuria held her still and gave her a look that said it was over. "Willow, that's enough. He's not here anymore, so just… Ugh!" She stormed out of the room, cursing to herself as she wanted to break something. "I'm marked, and that is all… Weiss isn't."

"Why isn't her father here?" Willow questioned as she continued looking angry. "Tell me now. Why the hell isn't her father here when his own wife is being targeted?!"

"Because he blames himself!" Lazuria yelled back, startling Willow a bit. "I live by my heritage no matter what, and so does he… So he wanted to bring me out to the forest to have our child the way we are. I gave birth to her as a wolf… Why? Because we both wanted her to be who she is."

Willow stayed silent, but her thoughts were loud, as she questioned what could have happened to get her marked in that scenario.

"After that we kept her safe for a few hours. It was all we had." Lazuria took a breath. "Then they showed up… And marked me while he killed them moments after, but it was too late…"

"H-How can you be sure?" Willow asked, but she knew the answer.

"You know why. I can't… I won't take that chance with Weiss. And because we were out there, he blamed himself and I tried…" Lazuria sat back on the couch and wiped her tears, but more kept falling. "I tried so hard to prove that it wasn't his fault."

Willow sat next to her, and she couldn't say anything. The shock was catching up, and she hated it.

"He told me to run and never look back." Lazuria laughed bitterly. "I hated him for that. I hated him because he could… He could have taken her with him. Keep her safe, but he refused. Not wanting to ruin another loved one's life as he put it."

"That's not fair to her!" Willow yelled, in reference to Weiss. "She's his daughter for fu-."

"I know, but it's over. He's gone and I don't know where he is, or even if I'll ever be able to find him again." Lazuria sniffled and looked towards the room Weiss was in. "I went out… To hunt, because I know I don't have long before they come for me again."

"Come on… Stop. You can stay somewhere protected. It… You can live." Willow pleaded.

Lazuria shook her head. "Weiss wouldn't have the life she deserves. Being trapped, or being hunted. Either way it's hell, so please… As my sister, please be her mother."

* * *

 **Present Day.**

"How can I tell her? I made a promise…" Willow wiped a few tears away, the memory having made her cry.

"Because you've kept it long enough, and Snowflake… Weiss deserves to know." Summer knew she was going against Lazuria, but she couldn't know this much and say to do the opposite of what Weiss should know.

Willow looked around for a moment, imagining what she'd do if Lazuria was right in front of her then and there. "I-I don't know where she is… I don't know if I can break a promise to someone I loved as a sister when I don't even know if she's alive…"

"Whether she's alive or not… Please, give Weiss the chance to know." Summer begged.

So many thoughts ran through Willow's mind. On one hand, she could tell Weiss, on the other, she could continue a seventeen year old secret. "I don't know if I can do it…"

"You can… You're strong, Willow." Summer praised, and she wasn't saying it to make her feel better. "Come with me next weekend. I'll be right there for you and Snowflake."

Was it time? It was all Willow could ask herself, and she took a breath. "Summer… Okay… Okay, I'll… I'll tell her the truth."

* * *

 **So there is a bit more on what happened on that day. Lazuria and Willow truly couldn't stop what happened, but the promise she made was at least kept for this long. Did it feel like a proper flashback moment? It's the only question I have for this chapter.**

 **To JJ- Willow has a lot on her plate, especially seen from this chapter, so yeah, a lot will be happening for her, and for Raven. I haven't decided how the confrontation with Jacques will be like, since again, go with the flow is my style, so it'll be fun to get to that point.**

 **To GoldElite245- Well, things could happen, and maybe they will. :P I like to see where I can take things with characters throughout a story without even knowing myself.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 72. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 73.**


	73. Confronting

**Here's chapter 73, everyone.**

* * *

Blake could feel her worries lessen with each passing day. After she revealed to Yang of her past ties to the White Fang, it was like a burden was lifted off her shoulders, and she was able to move on with her life, but at the same time, she knew it was never that easy. The White Fang was still around, and because of that she continued to wake up at times during the middle of the night, sweating and taking heavy breaths.

" _Again… I guess I can't complain. I know it won't go away._

"Hey…" Blake heard a whisper and was surprised when she saw the white wolf of the team. "I heard you breathing a lot heavier than normal. Blake, are you okay?" She kept quiet, since Ruby and Yang were still asleep.

The cat Faunus sat up and looked down at Weiss. "Why are you using your semblance?"

Weiss sighed, blushing a bit in embarrassment as she didn't want to outright admit why, but she knew she had to. "Sometimes… I like sleeping this way, and I also kind of… Ran out of aura because I overdid it with trying to use glyphs."

"Is that right?" Blake let out a small smile and moved herself a bit and planted her feet on the ground while still sitting on the bed. "Sorry if I woke you."

"Don't be. I honestly should change back before going back to sleep, but again, are you okay? You're sweating." Weiss' ears drooped a bit, seeing as she thought Blake was sick.

"J-Just a bad dream. Honestly I shouldn't let it get to me…" Blake chastised herself as the two teammates continued speaking quietly.

Weiss leaned over and nuzzled up against her a bit, and Blake sighed, knowing she was only trying to help. "Let me change back," She whispered and Blake turned around, knowing Weiss wanted the privacy. After the flash of light of her 'semblance', Weiss quickly got into her nightwear and she tapped Blake's shoulder. "You're good to turn around."

As she did, Blake was greeted by the sight of her teammate being her human self in her nightgown. "We should head back to sleep-."

"You can talk to us too, Blake." Weiss said, surprising the cat Faunus. "I know you talk more with Yang than you do with Ruby or I, and that's fine. She's your partner, but we're your friends too… Right?"

Blake lowered her head, sighing as she felt guilty. "I never said you weren't, but there are… Some things that I can't talk to everyone about."

"I can't say that's unfair." Weiss sighed. "No one is forcing you to talk, right?"

"N-No, of course not." Blake confirmed and Weiss nodded, happy with that answer, even if Blake did stutter a little.

"Good." Weiss offered her hand to Blake. "We could get some fresh air. That always helps me when I have nightmares from time to time."

Blake was surprised by her offer, so she took Weiss' hand and stood up. "I guess it couldn't hurt, but you know if we get caught-."

"I'll explain why we're out after dark." Weiss assured and the two teammates made their way out without waking their respective partners. "Would you be okay talking about that nightmare you had?"

With the years of Willow constantly comforting her when she was a child helped Weiss with Blake. "I… Don't like to think about certain people in my life. But these nightmares I have make me remember them."

Weiss and Blake were out on one of the balconies at the moment, and the white haired teen looked up at the night sky. "Remembering someone hurts you." She frowned. "I can't say I know how that feels."

"You shouldn't have to." Blake commented, choosing to look out at the courtyard. "Honestly from what Yang's told me, you didn't have to worry about any one like that."

"Hmm." Weiss figured that Yang would share a few details of her life with Blake. "My life wasn't exactly sunshine and rainbows either, but I also can't really complain." She grasped her wolf pendant and smiled. "But this isn't about me," She looked to Blake. "Why does remembering a certain person upset you so much?"

Blake thought about how to answer that for a few moments. "Seeing people I once called friends end up losing their way… It hurts. And because of what they do."

Weiss didn't know exactly what she meant, so she continued to delve deeper to know more about her friend. "Are there a lot of friends like that for you?"

"Two… At least." Blake's ears flattened against her head under the bow. "I don't know if they'll ever really be the same."

"I'm sorry…" Weiss trailed off a bit, knowing that feeling. "I… Actually do understand that kind of pain." Blake's ears twitched in response and gave her a questioning look. "My brother."

"Oh." Blake remembered how things were for Weiss and her little brother when she cried about him not approving of her life choices. "I'm-."

"Don't be sorry. Like I said before, this isn't about me," Weiss leaned a finger over and pressed it against Blake's chest. "You however should be able to get those people out of your head." Blake was surprised by that. "Do you think they can be the same as they were before?"

Blake knew what she was asking, and she took a breath. "Only… Only the one. The other is too far gone."

Weiss bit her lip, hating the idea of her own brother being too far gone, but he wasn't yet, so she had to speak up for Blake. "Don't give up then. At least on the one person."

"I-I don't know if I can help them." Blake admitted, and her thoughts to one of her old friends plagued her. "She's lost a lot."

"Honestly, Blake, what you're telling me is very confusing…" Weiss had to be honest. "But I still stand by what I said. The one person, keep trying for them. That can be how you escape those nightmares."

"You make it sound like you've had this talk before." Blake commented, and Weiss gave her a small smile.

"My mother," As she said that, she thought more about the times she'd walk around the manor, looking for her 'Father' to maybe play or even talk to, but whenever she couldn't even get him to notice her, her mother would be there to tell her that there are still others in her life that required her attention too. One being her brother. "I still have a lot to learn myself about… Confronting people. I'm not very good at it."

Blake felt confused by her statement, since she was confronting her right there. "You're standing there talking to me about how to deal with my nightmares. I don't know if you can say you're not good at confronting someone."

Weiss ran a hand through her long hair and shook her head. "I'm simply helping my teammate right now… Confronting someone is much different." She lowered her head. "I can't even confront my own brother."

The cat Faunus of Team RWBY felt bad for her, but she couldn't think of what to say to help, only something to get her to not look down on herself. "I don't know if it helps, but… I'd like to say that what you're doing is impressive."

"Huh?" Weiss raised her head back up and looked confused.

"Beacon. You said your brother wasn't able to accept what you do, but I still think you're doing a good job with it." Blake's ears drooped a bit. "Back when I didn't think of your name as much more than… Well, you know," Weiss stayed quiet to let her continue. "I couldn't get why you'd even want to be here."

"Blake, I already told you this isn't about me, toni-." Weiss tried to stop her, but Blake cut her off.

"You already helped me feel better, Weiss. And honestly, you were right before. I should talk to you and Ruby more." Blake offered her hand to her friend. "I'm not great at confronting either, but I can at least try to help my friend."

Weiss' eyes widened, and hearing Blake say those words touched her heart, but instead of taking her hand, she wrapped her arms around the cat Faunus, surprising Blake a bit. "I'd say you succeeded in helping me feel better."

Without letting go, Blake nodded and hugged her back. "I was serious. About you being here."

"I know." Weiss smiled and pulled away from the hug. "I honestly do wish Whitley would be as understanding, but even so, I can't let that stop me, and you," She pointed at her again and tapped the middle of her chest. "Can work on reaching out to that friend of yours."

Blake was a bit nervous about doing that, but she did believe it was still possible to help her old friend. "I'm not making excuses when I say this, but even contacting her isn't easy to do."

"I'm sure you'll find a way, and if not, then you can ask us to help you." Weiss gave her a reassuring smile.

While the help was appreciated, Blake couldn't let Weiss help her contact her old friend. It was a clash waiting to happen if she did that, so she shook her head. "I'd rather I do this alone." Weiss was a bit surprised by that, but she chose not to pry and simply nodded. "I'm sorry for not saying more."

"Don't be." Weiss looked out at the stars again. "Hey," Blake looked towards her, wondering what she was thinking about. "I know this is an out of nowhere question, but what are your parents like?"

"M-My parents?" Blake had no idea what would have brought that question on. "Well, uh-."

"Sorry." Weiss cut her off and looked away from the stars to talk to Blake. "It's just that you've met my mom, and you know… About my dad, and don't forget you've met Ruby and Yang's mothers, so I was just curious about yours."

It was a valid question, and Blake had nothing to hide with her parents, so she let out a small smile of her own. "My mom, well she gets excited about a lot of things. And my dad… He tends to get a bit overprotective of me."

Weiss was glad to hear Blake had loving parents, so she nodded. "They sound nice. Do you think they'd ever like to visit Beacon?"

That question wasn't one Blake felt like she wanted to hear, so her smile faded and she looked away. "I-I don't think so… The last time I saw them wasn't great."

"Oh." Weiss felt a little guilty bringing up past pain.

"I," Blake sighed and didn't want to hide certain parts of her life, but she did have to stretch the truth as well. "I ran away from home."

The shocking knowledge of that made Weiss freeze up. "W-What? Why would you do that when your parents-."

"Because I made a stupid decision, Weiss." Blake almost yelled, but kept her voice down, while Weiss was a little startled by that. "A decision that means they probably hate me…"

"No." Weiss instantly shot that down and Blake's ears perked up. "Do you have their numbers?"

"What?" Blake felt like she heard wrong.

"Do you have their numbers? Because if you do, then call them. Call them and tell them where you are, Blake." Weiss was getting antsy from the conversation, and a little too forward for Blake's liking.

"And why would I do that? Weiss, I ran away from them." Blake reminded, and Weiss crossed her arms.

"You said they'd hate you, and you know that isn't true whatsoever, so call them and let them know that you're here. Because just like how you said you approve of my choice to be here, I approve of your choice to be here too. And that means your parents should at least be given the chance to know." Weiss said defiantly, while in the back of her mind she thought about how her family was divided on what she's chosen in her life.

Blake sighed and shook her head as she tried to walk away from her teammate, but Weiss grabbed her arm. "Let go. I am NOT having this conversation, especially when asked me if people were forcing me to talk."

Weiss loosened her grip when she said that, feeling hypocritical in that instance. "I… I just want you to give your parents the chance."

"You don't even know them." Blake yanked her arm away, and Weiss frowned. "Just because I told you what they're like doesn't mean you know anything."

"I'm not saying I do…" Weiss muttered. "But if you ran away, then… They must be worried sick."

Blake tensed up and could feel the pain in her heart as she imagined her mom and dad crying for her. "S-Shut up… I already live with that guilt. I don't need it shoved in my face!"

Weiss took a step back, seeing as Blake was getting angry at that point. "Alright."

"Alright?" Blake repeated.

"I'll drop it…" Weiss walked slowly passed Blake, and the cat Faunus could tell she was feeling a bit sad. "I'm really sorry for bothering you about this."

Blake sighed and tilted her head back as she thought about her mom and dad. "Damn it." She watched Weiss walking away, so she chose to run over and stop her. "Hey,"

Weiss didn't make any move to get away as she turned to face the cat Faunus. "You don't need to apologise, Blake. I was in the wrong there."

"Maybe, maybe not, but I can't hide from them forever. I'm not stupid." Blake stated, and Weiss looked hopeful. "I want to talk to them again. I want to tell them I'm okay, but I'm scared… I'm scared that they'll be ashamed of me."

"If they love you, then they won't be." Weiss gently spoke, as she thought about her mother.

"They've got to be asleep, Weiss…" Blake was trying to make excuses, and it seemingly worked as Weiss nodded in return.

"You don't have to call them now, and you don't have to listen to my advice. In the end, I just want to help you, because you chose to look at me, and my family differently than most Faunus would." Weiss smiled, and Blake returned it since they understood each other more. "For now, we should probably head back to bed."

Blake nodded and followed Weiss back to the dorm, with the thought of calling her mom and dad at some point that week.

* * *

 **Blake and Yang have had a lot of talks together, so I wanted to show she can talk to her other teammates and friends too. So yes, I will have some scenes with Ruby and Blake interacting. They need it just as much, and obvious little hints were dropped in this chapter for future plot points to occur.**

 **To JJ- Yeah, her birth father basically felt the pain of being unable to protect his family in the 'right' way in his mind, so he left them for other reasons to be talked about later. As for the 'sisters' thing with Willow and Lazuria, well, as you said, I'll tell you soon enough in the story. It's not an in-law thing by the way. They refer to each other as sisters from how close they were.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 73. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 74.**


	74. The Truth

**Here's chapter 74, everyone.**

* * *

"She's getting better at it." Yang commented, smiling as she watched Weiss using glyphs, though not as fast as she wanted to, since the glyphs only appeared half the time she actually tried using them. "You wanna join in on that or not, Shadowcat?"

Blake sighed, since she wasn't always fond of that nickname. "I think I'll sit out this time. Still, it's honestly surprising to see." She watched Weiss with a smile, since she thought about the night before and the long talk they had.

"The glyphs? Yeah, same here. We'll figure out why she can do that one day." Yang said, looking on at her sister and closest friend training together. "Honestly, I don't mind sitting back either. Gives us time to recover from those boring classes."

"Those 'boring' classes will help us more than you think," Blake defended, though she knew what Yang meant. "But I'll agree that Port's classes can be a bit hard to stay awake through."

Yang grinned and nodded. "Truth, right there."

Weiss held Myrtenaster as tight as she could, while holding out one hand forward. She focused on her glyphs, wanting several to appear in front of her, and while the number was not met, she at least got three of the seven she wanted. "I guess that's a start…"

Ruby heard her and walked over, smiling at the glyphs in front of them. "A start? This is way more. You only made one before, and it's been only a few days, and poof! You can make three like it's nothing."

She was right. It was nothing, but only because she was training for many years. In comparison to Willow's training, Weiss had that advantage to her. "How are my aura levels?"

"Let's see." Ruby pulled her scroll out and was pleasantly surprised as she showed her partner. "Look, not even down twenty percent yet. See, you're getting better."

Weiss stared at the small screen and nodded, but that wasn't enough in her mind. "Like I said, it's a start. I'd like to actually reach a point where the amount of glyphs I want can appear." She wasn't thinking about normal combat classes at that point. "Out there, I can't make a mistake and try to land on a glyph that won't appear, or try to block an attack only for the glyph to not be big enough to block it."

Ruby understood that well enough. "Right. Well, maybe I can help by shooting at a certain spot, and you can try using a glyph to block it. Placement is key too, right?"

The white haired teen smiled, since she could see Ruby was always paying attention, even if it seemed like she wasn't at times. "Yes… I do like that idea. Thank you, Ruby." She leaned over and kissed her cheek as a reward in her own way.

She was used to receiving kisses from Weiss, so Ruby simply smiled back. "I like those kind of thank yous." Ruby giggled a little and readied Crescent Rose. "Soooo, where should I shoot?"

"Hmm. Well, why don't you decide? It was your idea after all." Weiss said in an encouraging tone, but before Ruby could choose, Weiss received a message on her scroll. "Hmm?" She checked it and was surprised to see that her mom wanted her to meet her outside. "W-What? My mom is here." She put her scroll away and looked to Ruby.

"Really? Well come on then!" Ruby took her partner's hand and started running over to the exit, while Blake and Yang seemed confused since they didn't hear that Weiss got a message from her mom.

"Follow them?" Yang asked and Blake simply shrugged. "Seems pretty important." She got up and offered her hand to the cat Faunus. "I don't wanna miss it, so wanna join me, Shadowcat?"

Blake playfully rolled her eyes, since she knew Yang wasn't about to let up on the nickname. "Sure." She accepted her hand and they both followed far behind.

Weiss, while happy that her mom was visiting, wondered why she would be. "Do you think it's about my glyphs?" She had decided to ask her partner as they were still running towards the front of the school. "And slow down, you dolt."

Ruby did so and thought about it herself. "I'm not sure, but does there have to be a reason? Your mom is here again." She knew how much Weiss loved her mother, since Willow made it her mission to give the girl the best life she could give her.

"I guess there's no reason to really question it, but just how she sent me the message. All it said was meet me outside." Weiss explained. "Do you think she meant to send it to my brother or father?"

"Nah, since..." Ruby got outside with her girlfriend and looked around. "...She's right over there, with my mom. Remember, it's the weekend." Ruby loved that her mother was working at Beacon, since she would always be able to see her each week, something she wished Weiss could have with her mom.

Summer noticed the two and waved them over. "There they are." She glanced back at Willow. "Everything is gonna be fine. Trust me. Snowflake won't ever hate you for this."

Willow didn't seem too sure, and she could feel her heart racing. "You can't know that…"

The blacksmith frowned in response. "Come on. You-." She cut herself off when she realized Ruby and Weiss were about to get to them, so she turned to greet them. "Hi, girls. I brought a special guest today."

Weiss smiled, while Willow rolled her eyes. Ruby on the other hand took the initiative and hugged her mother. "Mom, I can't wait to show you these new designs. I know you can't pick all of them, but I feel like one of them might work."

Summer giggled and rubbed her daughter's back. "You say that a lot, little rose, but I don't doubt one day I'll figure out a way to really give Crescent Rose an upgrade."

Ruby grinned up at her mom and Weiss took a step towards hers. "Mom, I'm really happy you're here, but what made you want to come over today?"

Willow almost wanted to cry when Weiss called her mom. "I-I need to talk to you, Snowflake, but later…" She put on a fake smile, and leaned in to hug her daughter. "For now I'd like to just spend time with my daughter."

Weiss was taken aback. Her mother was only ever like that when her 'father' would argue in front of her. "Mom? What's wrong? I-Is it about my glyphs?"

Last week, Summer had learned of Weiss' ability to use her family's semblance. "No, but… I'm really happy to know you have it now." Willow held her smile and pulled away from the embrace. "Would you like to show me, sweetie?"

She needed a reason to not talk about Lazuria immediately, and seeing her daughter using her new semblance would be just how to do that. "Oh, well I suppose I can, but I'm still not doing that great with it…"

Ruby reached over and poked her cheek. "She's being modest. I've watched her train every day since and she's doing really well." Her praise made Weiss blush a bit, and Summer grinned.

"I'm actually really interested to see what you can do too, Snowflake." Summer was an encouraging one to say the least.

Weiss nodded and held her hand out, her palm facing up as she focused on a smaller glyph. It appeared moments later, and Willow watched the small glyph spinning in her daughter's hand. "You really can use glyphs…" Willow quietly said, fighting back a few tears, and Weiss frowned since she noticed her mother's reaction.

"Mom?" Weiss made the glyph disappear and she was about to reach out to her, but Willow did first and cried, unable to stop herself from letting her tears fall. "M-Mom, what's wrong?" She was growing even more worried by the second, and as she tried to pull away, Willow didn't want to let her go.

Ruby was shocked by that and wanted to help, but Summer held her back. "Mom, she's-." Upon looking up to her mother's face, she saw a hint of sadness in those silver eyes.

"I know… This is something they need to talk about, little rose." Summer took Ruby's hand and walked her away. "Please let them."

Hearing her mother speaking like that meant whatever Willow was about to talk about with her daughter was something she couldn't be apart of right away. "I… Okay…"

"Mom, please tell me what's going on… Please." Weiss begged her mother, who kept crying as she held her daughter.

"Y-You know I love you… No matter what. I'll love you always, and no one can tell me otherwise, my little snowflake." Willow didn't care if anyone saw them. She felt that the risk of telling Weiss meant she'd never view her as her mom, so she was right to cry. "I'm sorry for what your father has done… I'm sorry for not keeping Whitley away from his influence. I'm sorry for all the lies."

Weiss was afraid of what was happening, since her mother never broke down like this in front of her. "M-Mom, calm down. What are you talking about? You've never lied to me."

Willow could tell her daughter wasn't handling her breaking down, so she took a few breaths and pulled away. "A lie is for one to not know the other person isn't telling the truth… I have lied to you, my little snowflake… And I am so, so very sorry."

Just hearing and seeing how her mother was reacting made the white haired teen instinctively wrap her arms around her. "Mom, it's… It's okay. You know I'd never be mad at you for a few lies. I love you, mom."

"I love you too…" Willow couldn't hug her back at that point, since just that small outburst she had was taxing on her, due to what she was trying to tell her. "You make me so proud."

Weiss buried her face into her mom's shoulder, wishing she wouldn't be saying those words since she had no idea why her mom was having an outburst in the first place. "Mother, please calm down."

Willow slowly let go of her daughter. "I'm sorry… I just… There's a lot to say."

"Whatever it is, it can't be that bad, mother." Weiss continued to call her mother, since she had to during serious situations like that.

"Would you forgive someone, not me, anyone out in the world who's lied to you for years?" Willow asked, hating herself for how she was handling it, but she couldn't keep things secret anymore.

"I-I… It depends I guess. But I don't care about lies, mom. If you lied, then you did and it won't matter because I swear I won't be angry." Weiss assured, though she couldn't know what was going to happen.

"Do you remember what I told you… About how for your birth, it was announced at a special grand opening?" Weiss nodded, thinking that couldn't be the lie, so she let her mom continue. "That day… The news of your birth, it was a lie…"

Weiss was confused, while Blake and Yang had gotten outside at that point, both about to walk over to Willow and Weiss, but Summer called them over. They didn't know what was up, but they chose not to get involved just yet.

"So… The lie was just that my birth wasn't announced on a grand opening? Mom, why would you be so worried about that? I don't care if it was or wasn't." Weiss stated.

"That's not the lie…" Willow cried more, and she knelt down, and her daughter followed her down as well. "You're my daughter… And I love you so very much, but… The lie is that I was not the one to give birth to you…"

Weiss' heart dropped, and every sound she could hear was simply gone, replaced by the soft wind that blew by. "What… Are you talking about?"

"Sweetie, you're-."

"No, what are you talking about?" Weiss stood up and took a step back. "Mother, that's clearly a lie right there. I can use our family's semblance, and I already know father wasn't born a Schnee, so explain that if you weren't the one to birth me."

Willow understood her reaction, but she lowered her head. It was hard to explain, why she had the ability to use glyphs, but in the end, she still had to tell the truth. "I don't know how you are able to use glyphs, Snowflake… But your mother-."

"No! Stop saying these things. You're my mother, and that's it." Weiss demanded, and she watched her mother stand up. "I don't want to hear this anymore. Now come on and-."

"Look at me." Willow was as serious as she could be, and nothing was going to be able to stop her at that point. "I am not the woman who gave birth to you, but I raised you since you were a baby. Just let me expl-."

Weiss stopped her mom when she stomped her foot against the ground, while tears of her own fell. "Stop it already! This isn't funny anymore, mom!" Willow's heart broke when Weiss swapped back to calling her mom, and she felt her daughter run up and hug her. "Please stop it… Please stop with this joke…"

Ruby was taken aback, as well as Blake and Yang who looked to Summer for answers. "I'm sorry, you three… It's not my place to say. Just let them talk and you'll know, I promise."

"Please… Please stop." Weiss begged harder and harder, wishing her mom was just playing a cruel joke on her. "You're my mom… You are!"

Willow hugged her as hard as she could, and she brought her daughter as close as she could. "I am, but… Not by blood. You'll always be my little snowflake, my daughter, no matter what anyone says, but you deserve to know the truth…"

Weiss couldn't accept that, not in the way it was happening, and she shook her head. "No more… This isn't real. I have our family's semblance! You're my mom, Winter is my sister… Whitley is my brother. Father-."

"He is not your father!" Willow seethed, refusing to let Jacques be included in the family Weiss has grown with. "But yes… Winter is your sister, and Whitley is your brother. You are their sister, love and all."

"Then stop saying that you aren't the one who birthed me... You had to have." Weiss said as soft as possible, since she was crying harder at that point.

"Is it wrong to tell you… Is it better to continue a lie that's gone on for seventeen years?" Willow questioned, and Weiss froze.

Weiss pulled away, examining her mom's face as she could tell she wasn't lying, and that it wasn't just a cruel joke. "No…" She shook her head, not wanting any of it to be real. "I'm just having a nightmare… That's all…" Weiss started taking a few steps back.

"Snowflake, please… Don't run." Willow could tell she was thinking about it, so she reached out to her, only for Weiss to slap her hand away, something that almost made her heart stop.

"Shut up…" Weiss growled, unable to quell her anger. "This isn't real. It's not!"

"It is. Your mother loved you, but she… She had to leave you behind. Do you truly believe I would lie to you-." Willow stopped when Weiss conjured up a glyph in front of her.

Weiss was taking a few heavy breaths, as she was shaking all over. "Lying. That's what you're doing right now, and my mom would never lie to me!"

Willow stood there, feeling every emotion from her daughter. "I don't deserve to be called your mom… You have every right to be angry at me, my Snowflake. If you don't love me anymore… I under-."

Weiss dropped the glyph and lowered her arm, staring at her mother in shock. "This… This isn't a nightmare, is it?" She sounded defeated, and Willow simply stood there, wishing she could go back in time to tell Weiss the truth back then.

"No, it's not a nightmare." Willow took a few steps forward, and Weiss didn't move as her mom swept a few white strands from her forehead. "Your mother wanted me to raise you because she… She couldn't." Tears couldn't shed anymore, and she wiped a few from Weiss' face. "I've always loved you as my own, because… You are my daughter. My little Weiss."

"Mom…" Weiss slowly fell to her knees, the same as when her mom had moments ago, and Willow followed her down just like Weiss had. "Mom, why… Why are you saying this… You're-."

"Yes. I am your mother. Because no matter… Blood is not what makes a family." Willow spoke truth, and she could see the pain in her daughter's eyes. "Your birth mother loved you so much… But she couldn't keep you. So she entrusted you to me, and from the moment I saw you, I was so happy."

Weiss sat there in silence as her mom would brush a few loose strands away.

"You were so small back then…" Willow could finally feel the tears falling again. "And your mother was so happy you would live a happy life, so I eventually accepted, and took you in. Because I knew, I knew from the moment I saw you, that I would always love you."

A few moments passed, and Weiss raised her head up, looking directly into her mother's eyes. "You're my mom…"

Willow's eyes widened, and she felt Weiss grab her arms to keep her still. "Weiss…"

"You… Are my mom. No one else." Weiss declared, and she was still shaking. "I don't care… If you didn't give birth to me… You… You are my mom!" She cried again and buried her face into her mother's stomach when she dove at her, and Willow gasped at what she said.

"Weiss…" Willow could only say her daughter's name as she lowered her head and kissed the top of her head.

"Please don't go…" Weiss begged, and Willow nodded, confirming she wasn't going anywhere. "You're my mom… You're my mom." She repeated those words like her life depended on it, and Willow kept nodding each time she would say it.

"Yes... I am, sweetie. I am and I'm not going anywhere." Willow could feel Weiss' heart racing, as well as her own. "Just know-."

"I don't want to hear anymore… You're my mom and that's that…" Weiss voiced cracked, and she rubbed her cheek on her mom's stomach. "I love you, mommy…"

Willow was shaking, but when she heard Weiss call her that, she had to be strong. Her daughter was afraid, and to truly be her mother, Willow had to be strong, so she took a breath. "I love you too, my little snowflake. Just relax… Mommy's here." Weiss was trying to calm down, and Willow rubbed her back. "Sweetie, I am so sorry… For telling you this now. But please, calm down for mommy… Calm down and I promise everything will be okay."

Weiss was taking calmer breaths, and after a few moments, she pulled away and wiped her eyes. "Mom?"

She knew her daughter was looking for guidance, so she nodded and took both her hands in her own. "I'm right here… If there's anything you want to ask-."

"Do you love me?" Weiss asked, and Willow didn't hesitate.

"Yes. I do love you." Willow squeezed her daughter's hands. "I love you, your sister loves you, and your brother loves you…"

"Father doesn't…" Weiss knew.

Willow bit her lip. "Don't call that man your father. He does not deserve to call you his own." She had a deep hatred that grew for Jacques every day, since even then it was affecting her daughter.

Weiss sniffled, not letting that part hurt her as much, since she's known her father wasn't considered a good father. "Why now…"

"Because… Because I've thought about her… Your birth mother. I've thought about the day she asked me to take you in, and the day I brought you home." Willow sighed. "I held you that night, and you cried… I wanted nothing more than to give you back to her, but… She couldn't keep you."

"Why not?" Weiss had to ask.

"I-I…" Willow trailed off, not able to tell her that truth yet, since even she didn't know if Lazuria was alive. "I don't even know if she's alive, Weiss… It's something that she couldn't risk."

"Me…" Weiss let out a somber laugh, and she looked up at the clouds. "What was her name…"

"Lazuria… Lazuria Okami." Willow sniffled as well, wondering how her daughter would react to finally knowing her birth mother's name.

Weiss said the name to herself a few times in her head, but then she looked to Yang specifically. "Yang… Her mom left, and Mrs. Rose raised her. But she still calls both of them mom…" She took a breath and turned back to face her mother. "What about… My father?"

Willow shook her head. "I don't know… The day that I was asked to take you in, all that I was told was that he blamed himself for your mother being unable to raise you… I'm sorry, snowflake."

"I see…" Weiss sighed, and she let her mom's hands go to let them drop. "My semblance… My first semblance."

"Is because of your birth mother." Willow answered her, and Weiss felt her accomplishments of breaking through the Schnee family semblance fall apart. "But you've made me so proud… Because you have two-."

"I shouldn't." Weiss stopped her. "I shouldn't have two semblances. Was she a Schnee? You said her last name was Okami. So… Did she take my father's last name?"

Willow truly couldn't answer how Weiss got the ability to use glyphs, but she could at least tell her more of the truth. "No, she kept her last name. She wasn't a Schnee, and neither was your father."

"Then how?" Weiss questioned, her voice matching that of Willow's at that point, hurt and unable to raise it.

"I don't know." Willow kissed her forehead again. "I can tell you… More, but we should go insi-." She stopped when Weiss shook her head. "Sweetie, I-."

"Please stay." Weiss pleaded and she scooted back a bit. She closed her eyes and focused, so the familiar light encompassed her body and a moment later, she appeared as a white wolf again. "Please."

Willow could see Lazuria at that point, for just a second as her daughter was in full view. "I will." Willow sat down properly and Weiss laid her head down on her mother's lap, so she began rubbing her daughter's white fur. "Mommy's here."

Weiss knew that, and while she was in pain, she at least knew the truth. The truth that Willow would always be her mom. "I love you, mom."

"And I love you, my little snowflake."

* * *

 **The seventeen year lie is over, and it only took 74 chapters of this story for Weiss to learn the truth, well, most of the truth. As she still has more to learn of her birth mother, much more. This chapter is longer than usual seeing as it was a very important one, so yay for that.**

 **Also I got my RTX badge, since I'm actually going this year! While I have my issues with RWBY, I'm still gonna try to enjoy it there, as there is a lot to offer, so to people who will also be going, hope you guys have a good time there too.**

 **To JJ- Yeah, you'd be right with that. Being that close, that they consider each other sisters was what drove Lazuria to request Willow be the one to take Weiss in. And yes, Blake's parents will be involved at one point. Just gotta get there. Weiss and Blake have grown in the time they've gotten to know each other, and I'm glad that I got them to this point as friends.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 74. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 75.**


	75. Questions And Answers

**Here's chapter 75, everyone.**

* * *

Ruby had enough as she had to run over to Weiss and Willow. "W-What's going on? What did you say to her?" Her over protectiveness of Weiss was beginning to come to light again, so she looked down at the white wolf. "Tell me what you-."

Before her voice could be raised any further, Weiss lifted her head up and her tears were shown. "Please… Please don't do this right now, Ruby…"

Hearing Weiss' voice sounding so pained and somber, and she realized that Willow wasn't even paying attention to her, only focusing on rubbing Weiss' fur. "I… What happened? You can't just cry and not tell me what's wrong..."

"I can't." Weiss responded, lowering her head on her mom's lap.

Summer ran over and grabbed Ruby's arm to pull her away. "Ruby, this is not the time for you to barge over." She started pulling her daughter away, and Ruby struggled out of her grasp. "I know you care about Snowflake, but-."

"More than care… We're together, mom." Ruby and Weiss hadn't gotten to telling them yet since they wanted to find the right time, but the situation wasn't one that Ruby was fond of, so she needed to show them how much Weiss meant to her.

Hearing the confirmation of that made Summer stop pulling her daughter away, and the blacksmith looked down at the younger Rose. "You… You finally told her? And you didn't tell us?"

"Mom, I… I wanted to find a good time." Ruby said with a light blush on her face, though she didn't realize she said it loud enough for Willow to hear her.

Willow was taken aback by what Ruby said, and she gently rubbed Weiss' fur. "Sweetie? Is this true? You and Ruby?" When her daughter nodded, Willow let out a small smile. "It's okay, sweetie. We can talk about-."

Weiss sighed and got up, looking over at her clothes as the news she received was still in her mind, so she looked to her Mother. "Can you please bring my clothes inside, mom… I'd like to go to my dorm."

"Y-Yes, sweetie." Willow knew she wasn't about to try and get her to do anything else otherwise, so she gathered her daughter's clothes and began following her inside of the school, while Ruby could only stand and watch with Summer keeping her hands on Ruby's shoulders.

"I'm sorry, Ruby." Summer squeezed her shoulders and felt terrible, having to keep things from her daughter because of the situation Weiss and Willow were in. "Just let Willow handle this, okay."

Ruby continued to watch her girlfriend walking into the school, while Willow looked almost as bad if not worse than her daughter, seeing as she's bottled up a lie for seventeen years.

Yang and Blake ran over, with the blonde bombarding Summer with questions that the blacksmith knew she couldn't answer. While Ruby could only clench her fists, hating how she wasn't able to help Weiss.

* * *

"Winter, you know I wouldn't ask you this if it wasn't important." Ironwood said to the Specialist, who sighed in response since she felt the mission she was being given was completely ridiculous. "As of now, I've spoken to several colleagues of mine-."

"With all due respect, sir, these colleagues don't sound exactly like people that are sane." Winter countered, while the General folded his hands on his desk, and Winter knew he was being serious.

"Look, I know how it sounds, and yes, I know it seems close to your sister's semblance, but-." Before he could continue, Winter couldn't keep quiet.

"I am not trying to avoid this mission because of personal matters, sir. I'm simply pointing out that our resources would be wasted on such an objective." The Atlas Specialist tried to reason, but Ironwood didn't look convinced.

The General unfolded his hands and pulled out a file from his desk, and as he placed it on the table, he slid it over to Winter. "Until we figure out exactly what this is all about, our resources are not considered a waste. And while I trust your observations above others, I can't ignore something like this."

Winter sighed and picked up the file and opened it to the several pages on the matter. "I still can't say this is a smart move, sir," She paused and skimmed the file, seeing several pictures of animals that looked to be larger than normal. "These pictures could be fake, and the kind of threat being warned about isn't on the scale of Grimm in comparison."

"A threat is still a threat, Winter, and you of all people should know that, being a Schnee and having the White Fa…" He stopped himself when he realized he was stepping on a sore subject for Winter. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-."

"Don't be." Winter wasn't about to speak down to her commanding General, so she set the file down on his table. "You are correct, that any threat, no matter how small is still a threat, but I'm just not sure this IS a threat, sir."

"Which is why I'm sending you in to investigate." Ironwood countered, and Winter knew she wasn't about to get out of that mission. "Can I trust you on this, or not?"

Winter didn't think twice on her answer. "Of course you can, sir."

"Good. I'll send you more details on your investigation when I have a few more leads." Ironwood finished his meeting with Winter, so the Specialist got up from her chair and left his office after a respectful bow.

* * *

At the time, Winter was on board one of the carriers in her quarters. "This just doesn't require my attention, but I can't go against an order." She was sitting at her desk with a laptop on it, and as she began going through some information she received from Ironwood, the file they had on the mission was also given to her.

" _Grimm are our biggest threat. Elemental Grimm as well, and then there's the White Fang… These are simply animals. Albeit larger ones, even large animals like Elephants have never been seen as a threat needing the attention of the Military."_

Winter didn't like the situation she was dealing with one bit and continued to look through some information she had suspicions on, but even with suspicions, leads were needed to find out more.

Before she could look through some information, she received a message on her scroll, noticing it was from her Mother. "Hmm?" She opened the message to see the words her Mother had sent her. "What?"

She read it to herself a second time to confirm what she really read.

" **Winter, please, if there is any way you can find time off from your duties, Weiss needs you. Get to Beacon as soon as possible and I'll tell you everything when you get here."**

Winter was beginning to grow a bit more nervous than usual since it was a family matter, and while she thought about calling her Mother or sister, she figured the message meant that both would be unavailable to talk, or else Willow would have outright called her.

While she was a Specialist, she wasn't about to ignore a family issue, so she sent a request to General Ironwood on getting a few days to handle a family matter, and after a few moments, her scroll went off again.

" **I can only allow three days at the most, and if you don't need all three days, I'd appreciate you returning to your duties, Winter. That mission is still to be dealt with, but I will delay it this once."**

Winter was happy to hear that, so she packed a few of her things and requested for her airship, but in the back of her mind, she was still worried about what her Mother's message could mean, and if her little sister was okay.

* * *

Weiss was back to being human as she was sitting on her bed, but her stare was distant and she wrapped her arms around her knees that were brought up to her chest. Willow was silently sitting on Blake's bed, choosing not to say a word since she felt like her daughter would silence her the moment she tried speaking.

Even though she was silent though, Weiss would take note of the looks she'd get from her mom, and while she felt bad for not saying anything in return, but Weiss honestly wasn't sure she could say anything.

" _Everything, no… Not everything, but so much of my life was a lie."_

Just thinking about it was painful. Breaking through her family's semblance, it didn't mean what it used to mean anymore to her. She wasn't born a Schnee, and yet she had the power to use glyphs.

"What was she like…" Weiss asked.

Willow was surprised by Weiss speaking, since she thought her daughter would be silent for the rest of the day. "S-She was… Dedicated. The kind of life she wanted to live was how you want to live. To be a huntress."

"She was a huntress?" A nod from her Mother was all she needed, and Weiss lowered her head again. "W-Was it because she was a huntress that she couldn't take care of me?"

"No." Willow answered immediately, not wanting her daughter to think her dream of being a huntress would be a factor in not being able to raise a child. "She entrusted me to raise you… And I never regretted it. Not even for a second."

Weiss didn't need confirmation on that, seeing as they went through a bit ago outside. After a few more moments of silence, she sniffled a bit. "How long have you known her for?"

Willow couldn't even think back to how long it had been, since it felt like they've been together forever. "Kids. She was always a sister to me… And I always loved how happy she'd be when talking about becoming a huntress."

"You were her oldest friend." Weiss said as more of a statement than a question, as Willow nodded again. "What about her family… I mean, did you know them?"

"N-No…" Willow frowned, looking away slightly. "I never knew her family."

Weiss thought about her next question for a moment. "Do you mean she didn't have family around, or that-."

"We were kids when we met, and for a long time… She didn't exactly have a home in town. Something I didn't understand as a child, but she grew up with me, finding ways to get to me and we'd spend days together. In other words, I never met her family because she didn't have family to meet." Willow explained.

"Oh." Weiss felt bad for the Mother she never knew, since it sounded like she had no one, but Willow caught onto that.

"She wasn't alone." Willow let out a small smile. "Your father, he was there too… And she had other friends too. A lot of friends." She left out that those friends were also Shifters.

Weiss sighed. "Okay, then what happened to her growing up? Did she move in with my father? And… What is his name?"

"I-I can't…" Willow bit her lip, since she thought about Weiss' real father, and how much she hated how he up and left his family after Lazuria was marked. "The man left your Mother when she needed him most… I don't want you looking for him."

"It's only fair that I get to know his name." Weiss said as she unwrapped her arms from her knees, giving her Mother a serious look. "You're my Mother, and that'll never change, but you told me my birth Mother's name, so I should get to know my dad's name too."

Willow couldn't argue with her on that, since she was right. "Riktor Unubore. A man I once looked to as a good friend, but when he left your Mother-."

"Stop… I just wanted to know his name." Weiss needed to process things one at a time, as her entire family history was changing right before her. "

"I'm sorry… Is there anything you'd like to specifically ask me?" Willow was taking it slow for her daughter, and Weiss had to think on certain questions she wanted to know the answers to.

"You said my semblance, becoming a wolf came from my birth Mother. So did she also have two semblances like me, or just the one?" Weiss inquired, watching to see if her mom would hesitate.

Willow nodded. "I wish I could tell you she didn't, but she did in fact have another semblance." She knew the truth about Weiss' 'semblance' and how it wasn't a semblance at all, so technically someone not having two semblances was true. "Her semblance allowed her to see even further than any human or… Animal can."

"Enhanced sight." Weiss noted, realizing her birth Mother was probably the spotter on a hunter team. "Did anyone ever question why she had two semblances?"

"No, because she rarely used it." Willow answered. "Her reasoning was her own, and while you may question it too, I can't explain why she wouldn't use her semblance." She couldn't explain why Lazuria hid her real semblance to pass off her wolf transformation ability as her semblance.

"Alright…" Weiss wished she had more than that, but again, she wanted to take things slow.

Willow still felt terrible about the whole situation, but things were starting to clear up a bit for Weiss because of it. "Would you rather me wait outside? I can send Ruby in if-."

Weiss shook her head. "I still have some other questions… And I don't want you to leave."

"O-Of course." Willow straightened up and waited on her daughter to ask more questions.

"Does Klein know?" Weiss asked, thinking about the butler who was more of a father than Jacques and Riktor. "Does he know that I'm not your birth daughter?"

"He does, yes. Even before you were born, he knew your Mother and father." Willow let out a small smile, as she always trusted Klein with Lazuria's secrets. "Klein has always been very supportive, so the next time you see him, please don't be upset with him about keeping this secret from you. He cares a lot about you, sweetie, and nothing will ever change that."

Weiss sniffled a bit, nodding as she wiped her eyes a bit, seeing as she knew Klein would never look at her differently, since he knew who she was from the very beginning.

* * *

 **Her Father's last name means Howl in Japanese, so it fits with Lazuria's name as well. And with Winter now getting involved, it's opened up more plot points I have in mind, so be on the lookout for a few changes in character focus here and there.**

 **To JJ- Weiss really couldn't do it. Run away I mean, since there was too much holding her down, and with what she's learned, she and her Mother, Willow, will have to figure things out. As both of them don't actually know if Lazuria is alive or not. I'm glad the chapter brought out the feels, since that's what I was aiming for in the end.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 75. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 76.**


	76. What Can I Do?

**Here's chapter 76, everyone.**

"You can't be serious, mom." Yang said to the blacksmith, while not looking very happy with the way Summer was avoiding her questions. "Weiss was literally screaming at her mother. I've never seen her like that with her mom of all people, so why can't you just tell us what the heck just happened?"

"Yang, there is nothing I can say here. It's not our place, and yeah, I know you're her friend, but-." Summer sighed when she saw the look on the blonde brawler's face, the face of a pained daughter not feeling trusted enough. "I'm sorry…"

Blake grabbed at Yang's arm and pulled her away to talk privately, while Summer looked a little surprised by that, though she chose not to say anything as she watched her speaking with Yang. "I don't know what this is all about, but maybe you shouldn't be so upset with your mom."

"I'm not upset with mom… I'm annoyed that we can't know what's going on with Ice… Weiss." Yang kicked at the ground a bit. "You saw her crying and screaming at her own mother, Blake. And I've known her for years. She would never, and I mean it, she would never threaten her mom with a glyph like that."

"A lot can happen that makes us do stupid things." Blake was about to compare herself in that scenario, but she chose not to since she didn't want to add onto the many problems Yang was stressing over.

"Well I wanna know exactly what made Weiss do something like that." Yang said as she was about to turn back and walk to her mother, but Blake grabbed at her again.

"Stop and think for a second. If your mom isn't about to tell you anything after the fifty questions you asked her, what makes you think she'll say anything on the next question?" Blake reasoned, and Yang sucked her teeth, hating that she was right.

Pulling away from her grasp, Yang shook her head. "This is so damn stupid. Why the hell can't we know what's going on? Seriously…"

Summer, while she couldn't hear the two from how far they had walked away knew how annoyed Yang was, but she realized that Ruby was also being affected by being unable to get involved in the Schnee family predicament.

As she looked over at her birth daughter, she almost regretted it, as Ruby continued to stare at the Academy, her fists still clenched in anger, but it wasn't anger directed at any one person. "Ruby." She took a few steps forward and placed her hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Come on. We can talk in my office."

"What's the point… You won't tell me why my girlfriend is in so much pain… So I can't even help her…" Ruby said as quiet as she could, surprising Summer since Ruby was usually so full of cheer, but at that point she sounded like a kicked puppy.

Summer lifted her hand off her daughter's shoulder, feeling she had no right to even speak with her, but she wasn't about to stop herself from doing so. "You'll always be able to help her. Nothing has ever stopped you before, so why start now?"

Ruby turned to face her mom, revealing she had tears in her eyes. "Because she's strong, and I never get to let her prove that." Summer was taken aback, and a bit confused by her comment. "During the mission we went on… She got hurt by an Okean. And I freaked out… But I remembered how she wanted me to not be so worried about her, since she felt like I thought she wasn't strong enough to be a huntress like everyone else…"

"She knows you don't feel that way." Summer tried assuring.

"That's not the point!" Ruby yelled, holding back a few tears. "I hold back so much because I believe in her, mom! Now she's in pain again and if I try to help… She won't want it, but I don't even know how to help because you won't tell me what happened!"

Summer felt a pain in her heart, since Ruby never yelled at her like that, something Willow didn't experience until just a bit ago herself. "I promised Willow… Ruby, you need to understand that while I know you want to help, sometimes there needs to be time taken first. Weiss and her mother need that time right now."

Ruby wanted to look away, but her mother stopped her when she grabbed her shoulders.

"You need to listen." Summer said in a serious tone, surprising Ruby, but before she continued, she looked over her shoulder. "Yang! Come here! You too, Blake!" She called out to her daughter-law and Blake.

Hearing her calling them out, both girls walked over, with Yang still looking a little annoyed. "What is it, mom?"

"This isn't easy for me to say to you two," Summer was referring to Ruby and Yang. "But you can't be so selfish here." The way she said that made the sisters react in a shocking manner. "Yes, I said selfish." She pulled away from Ruby and moved to get in front of the three girls.

"Selfish? How the heck are we acting selfish when-." Before Yang could continue, Summer stomped her foot against the ground, startling her a bit.

"Enough. You girls are first years at Beacon Academy. You're young adults who will be thrown into the world, so what you did as kids, it won't be the same." Summer couldn't play nice. "People, yes, even Weiss, can't just be okay after a hug and a few kind words. I've taught you both to always do what you feel is best, so yes, it's always wonderful how you want to help people, and loved ones, but there are times where you need to stay out of it."

Ruby felt her heart skip a beat at how her mom spoke. "W-What?"

"Willow is in more pain than either of you." Summer outright admitted. "This isn't a contest either, but right now, they need each other. No one else. Not you two, not me. Weiss will talk, when SHE is ready, but for now, you need to let them handle what's happening."

Yang felt her anger boiling, but she took a breath and shook her head, choosing not to say a word as she turned away from her mother-in law and crossed her arms. Ruby only stared at her mother, not understanding why it was then that she was speaking to her like that.

"I know you both hate hearing what I have to say. No one likes the thought of being unable to help someone they care for." Summer stated. "Still, the reason why you're being selfish, is because you want to help no matter what, even if it means you might cause a bigger problem."

Ruby's eyes widened, as she slowly realized that her actions had caused Weiss to feel a bit more stress when she ran over earlier. Seeing an image of Weiss crying, and how she begged Ruby to not ask her any questions anymore.

"You and Weiss are together, and I am so happy for you both, but right now, she needs you to be there when she's ready, and not before. Do you understand, sweetie?" Summer hoped her daughter would at least try.

It took a few moments, as Ruby lowered her head, thinking more about how she ran over to Weiss when she was crying, and how the white wolf couldn't even tell her what was wrong. "What CAN I do then…"

"I already told you, sweetie." Summer let out a small smile and rubbed her head a few times, watching as Ruby lifted her head to look to her mom for guidance. "Prepare yourself to be there for her when she needs you, and you'll see that Weiss will open up then and there."

Yang was still listening, and since she was a couple of years older than Ruby, she understood things a bit more than her in regards to people. "I get it… Not being selfish." Yang spoke up, while Blake was glad to hear her say that, and Summer waited for her to continue. "I was about to ask what can we do about how much we hate having to wait… It's like wanting to deal with an itch… But here, dealing with that itch won't help Weiss. It would only help us."

"An odd way of putting it, but yes." Summer remarked while trying to speak softly to Ruby. "Ever since you told me you wanted to be a huntress, I knew helping people is what you wanted most out of becoming one, so I know how hard this is on you."

Ruby took a breath, taking in the words both her mother and sister said, while also remembering how Weiss was when she ran over and asked her a bunch of questions on what happened. "It is, and it isn't easy to not go to her… But I understand. Weiss and her mom have to sort this out together, and I'll be right there by her side when she's ready."

Summer was so glad to hear her say that, so she rubbed her head again and nodded. "Exactly, and I know she'll love to have you there for her," She looked to Yang. "And you too, firecracker," Seeing Yang let out a small smile was reassuring, but she then looked to Blake. "Don't think I forgot about you too, Blake."

Blake nodded in response. "We'll all be there when she's ready."

" _Just like how Yang was there for me when I was finally ready."_

The three members of Team RWBY, as well as even Zwei who sat next to Ruby and tried nuzzling her leg, would all wait until the W of their team was ready to talk again.

* * *

"Do you think… That if my mother kept me, we'd still be family? Or… Would you have-." Weiss couldn't finish her question.

"Snowflake, please… Don't ask me that question." Willow had to give her a real answer. "You were always family to me, even before Lazuria had asked me to take you in. She was a sister to me, and you'd always be family even if I didn't take you in as my own."

Weiss bit her lip and nodded, choosing to think of a different kind of question. "That woman, I mean… Lazuria. Ms. Goodwitch mentioned that a friend of hers from long ago could do what I can do, and now I hear that my birth mother can also do the same."

Willow waited on her daughter to ask her question.

"So what is it? Why is my semblance, my birth mother's semblance so rare? Only three people, me, my birth mother, and Ms. Goodwitch's old friend are the only people I know that can do it." Weiss stated.

That was a surprise to Willow, as she wasn't expecting her to ask that kind of question, as she thought she was going to ask something else. "I don't know…" A lie. "Your semblance is truly special, sweetie, and while your mother was gifted with her power, I didn't know anyone else who can do the same."

"Okay…" Weiss sniffled a little as she got up and walked to the window to look out of it, watching several students walking around the courtyard. "I don't… I don't know what to ask.."

Willow got up, knowing she needed to be there beside her, so she moved closer and wrapped her arms around Weiss from behind, letting her daughter stay in her arms in silence, as she closed her eyes and kissed her head.

"What can I do… As someone who doesn't have any blood relatives around me? What can I say to Winter… To Whitley?" Weiss started shaking a bit.

"Your mother told me that blood is not what makes a family, sweetie. And I pass her words down to you, because no matter what, Winter and Whitley, they are your family." Willow had to get her to know that was the truth, as it really was.

"They don't know…" Weiss let a few tears loose.

"Not yet, but they will get to know, if… If you want them to." Willow, while she had messaged Winter to come over, would not outright tell her the truth if Weiss didn't want her to know.

Weiss was taking a few breaths to calm down. "I don't know… I don't know."

Willow nodded as she pulled away and helped Weiss over to her bed again. "Come and sit down, sweetie." Weiss slowly did so and Willow sat next to her daughter, letting Weiss rest her head against her shoulder.

"I'm not a Schnee…" Weiss stated, but not a moment later, she continued. "By blood. I'm not, but… I still feel like one." She looked up at her mom. "Because… You raised me as one."

"Yes." Willow wrapped an arm around and kissed her head again. "You are a Schnee, and an Okami. My little Weiss… And Lazuria's little Wolf." It was that moment that made Willow cry freely, and Weiss could feel her mother's tears falling onto her.

"Mom…" Weiss hugged her mom as hard as she could, not wanting her to cry anymore. "Please… Don't cry. I'm sorry."

"Don't say that." Willow laid down, pulling her daughter with her as she remembered the nights Weiss would have nightmares as a child, and she'd take her in her arms, choosing to let her sleep that way so she wouldn't get nightmares.

* * *

 **10 years ago.**

Willow heard her daughter crying as she walked past her door, so she wasted no time and opened the door to her room. She saw her daughter tossing and turning in bed, with tears falling down her face, so she frowned and walked over, gently nudging her a bit. "Snowflake… Wake up. Mommy's here."

Weiss gasped quietly as she opened her eyes, and she was still shaking a bit as Willow leaned down and hugged her. "M-Mommy… Mommy!" She hugged her back and cried as the nightmare she had really got to her.

"Shhh, mommy is right here" Willow got into bed and pulled her daughter close to her. "The scary dreams are gone, and I promise to keep them away." She kissed her forehead and wiped a few tears away from Weiss' eyes.

The seven year old hiccuped a bit, and she buried her face into Willow's collar, but she nodded a few times since her mom was always her guardian angel, so she began to slowly calm down. "M-Mommy… Can you sleep here tonight? P-Please…"

"Of course, Snowflake. Mommy will keep the scary dreams away." Willow pulled the covers over them and kissed Weiss' head. "Do you want to talk about it, sweetie?"

Weiss sniffled and shook her head. "I-It's too scary."

Willow nodded in return. "Then think about something you love, sweetie. And you'll have the best dreams you can have. Promise." She heard Weiss' breathing getting a bit steadier.

"O-Okay, mommy… I love you." Weiss' tears stopped falling, as her mother's warmth was keeping her from feeling scared.

"And I love you, my little Snowflake." Willow gave her one last kiss goodnight, and Weiss did what her mother suggested. She thought about what she loved, and her family was what she thought about.

That night she didn't have another nightmare, as Willow woke up the next morning, seeing the smile on her sleeping daughter's face.

* * *

 **Present Day.**

"I'm here, Snowflake." Willow repeated, and Weiss thought back to that day, her heart getting back to a steadier pace, as even after all the years, Willow Schnee was the one who would always be there for her.

"I love you, mom." Weiss let out a small smile as she closed her eyes.

Willow closed her eyes as well, kissing her daughter on the top of her head. "And I love you, my little Snowflake."

Just like that day many years ago, Weiss was able to sleep with a smile on her face.

* * *

 **This chapter ended specifically like the one two chapters ago to show that even though Weiss knows she has a birth Mother she knows nothing about, Willow will be the one that she goes to when she's in pain.**

 **To JJ- Winter has a mission to do, and whether that is to find Lazuria or her kind, well, that's the be saved for when things get going on that plot point. Winter also doesn't know that Weiss is adopted yet. As for how she'll comfort her, I am still trying to work on her character more. Glad you enjoyed all the info in the last chapter that Weiss learned.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 76. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 77.**


	77. I Can't Ignore This

**Here's chapter 77, everyone.**

* * *

"Mother," Winter said over the scroll as she made it to Beacon, her airship being looked at in awe by some of the students who were out in the courtyard at the time. "I've just landed, so where would you like for me to meet you?"

"I'll be outside in a bit. Let me just wake your sister up and I promise you'll know what's going on." Willow felt bad about not just up and telling her, but over the scroll was just not the way she wanted to tell Winter about what was happening.

"She's asleep?" Winter looked around, seeing that the sun was still out, so it was a bit confusing with no context. "Did she overdo it on training?"

"No… Just… I promise we'll talk more when we get things situated." Willow assured and Winter was going to have to accept that answer.

Winter let out a light sigh, but she knew she'd get more answers soon enough. "Very well, but please don't leave anything out, Mother. I'll wait by my airship."

"Oh, you came in on your own this time?" Willow let out a short chuckle.

"It's for those to know I am onboard. Speaking of that, my request for time off is limited sadly, so if I'm needed for more than three day, I can't." Winter hated having to say that, but her duties were to be taken serious.

"That's why you're as high up as you are, sweetie." Willow said, as she was always proud of how far Winter had come. "I'm grateful that you even found time off for your sister."

Hearing how her mom phrased that brought a bit more worry to the Specialist, but she remained composed. "Of course. I'll see you soon, Mother."

"Bye for now, sweetie." Willow ended the call.

Winter looked at the school in the distance, and she took a moment to sigh to herself. "What's going on, Weiss…"

* * *

After asking Team JNPR to look after Zwei for a bit, Blake and Yang chose to go to try and unwind. "Anything you wanna talk about?" Yang asked her partner, while Ruby went to take a walk on her own, while Summer went to her office to work. "Cause… I don't got a lot on my mind…"

"I know what you have on your mind, and I'm sorry we can't do anything yet." Blake sympathized.

"Hmm." Yang sighed and took a small bite of her sandwich. After eating it, she set it down and shrugged. "Yeah it sucks, but sulking won't help either. I just don't really know what to do is all."

Blake blushed a little, since she had retrieved a book of hers from the dorm before the two went to the cafeteria. And with Yang not knowing what they could do while Weiss was dealing with family issues, she thought about sharing a bit more about herself. "I could… Show you some of the art I'm working on."

Yang perked up the moment she said that and let out a wide smile. "Really? Oh man, that sounds awesome. Show me." She tried leaning over her partner's shoulder, but Blake scooted over.

"H-Hold on. I'm still working on a few pieces, so… I'd like to only show what I've finished so far." Blake explained as she opened her book up, but kept the page contents out of sight of her partner.

The blonde brawler pouted a little, but she respected her partner's wishes and waited on her to show what she had. "Okay, okay, but don't forget to show me the ones you finish later too."

Blake's cat ears twitched a little under her bow, since Yang was showing more interest in her hobby than she thought. "Um, yeah, sure." She wasn't sure how to respond properly, so she flipped to a finished piece and showed the blonde.

It was art of an Okean, the kind of Grimm the team fought a lot of at the Sapphire Coast, so she had more to work with in terms of photographic memory. "Oh wow…It looks exactly like the Okeans we fought. You're an amazing artist, Blake."

"Fighting more of them helped me finish this up, so I guess it was lucky for me to be on that mission." Blake said, letting out a small smile from the compliment.

"Just a few looks at a Grimm and you can draw them spot on. Pretty damn impressive." Yang wrapped her arm around Blake, who blushed from the sudden move, while Yang didn't notice since she was looking at Blake's art. "Can I see some more?"

"Y-Yeah…" Blake knew the next page was a finished piece, so she flipped to it and showed Yang the art of Weiss on one page, in her wolf form, and a second wolf on the other page, one that was colored black, but with red highlights to the fur.

"Hmm? Ice Wolf?" Blake nodded to Yang's assumption. "Okay, well that one is Weiss, so who is the other wolf?"

Blake thought about Weiss' relationship with Ruby, and how the two always doted over each other in some way. "Well, I drew what I think Ruby would look like as a wolf… Since they're together."

Yang noticed the blush at that point and found that to be adorable. "Aww, you sooooo gotta show them now. This is too cute!" She wanted to grab the book to gush over it, but she kept herself behaved and simply smiled at the art in front of her. "Ey, you need to draw her as a pup too. She'll be so embarrassed." Her grin was showing.

"I'd rather not be frozen solid or bitten, thank you very much." Blake said while flipping to another page, but she gasped when she realized it wasn't done yet, so she instantly closed the book and pulled it to her chest.

The blonde felt her partner scooting away, so she held her hands up in a defensive manner. "Whoa. Calm down there, Blake. I'm not gonna try to peek."

Blake's cheeks got a bit redder, as she really didn't want Yang to see that specific page of her book. "S-Sorry. I'm not done with that piece yet…"

"Hey, don't worry. I promised not to look at the unfinished ones." Yang let out the pleasant smile that Blake knew she could always trust, so the cat Faunus started to calm down a bit. "How about you look at the ones you want me to see, take pics of them and show me that way so you don't accidentally show me one that isn't done yet."

The fact that Yang was coming up with a middle ground was something the cat Faunus appreciated, so she nodded in response. "O-Okay." Blake started doing just that, and Yang let out a small chuckle, but in the back of her mind, she was thinking about the art piece she caught a glimpse of.

" _It looked like a cat and a dragon…"_

* * *

"Hmm?" Weiss mumbled a bit in her sleep, but opened her eyes when she felt her mom nudging her to wake up. "M-Mom?" She slowly sat up and rubbed one of her eyes, only to see Willow offering her hand to her.

"Come on, sweetie. Someone wants to see you." Willow said in a soft tone, while Weiss took her hand and was helped out of bed.

The white haired teen was still a bit overloaded from what she had learned, but she was at least able to walk with her Mother at a normal pace. "Who wants to see me right now?"

"You'll see." Family is what she needed right now, so Willow continued walking with her daughter down the hall, while Weiss was wondering who it was.

As they got outside, Weiss' eyes widened, since the first thing she saw was a familiar airship, so she let go of her Mother's hand. "Mom… Is that-?"

"Yes. It is." Willow answered before she could finish her question.

Weiss took a few steps forward, her heart racing a bit as she looked as far as she could and saw her. "Winter…" She started running towards her older sister, the tears threatening to fall.

Winter didn't take long to notice her sister running towards her, so she took a few steps forward, her arms held behind her back. She took note of Weiss' pained expression.

"Winter!" Weiss stopped a few feet in front of her sister and took a few breaths. "Y-You're here? When… Why are you here? I mean… I don't mean to ask like that, but… I thought you'd be busy with-."

"Sister, take a moment and breathe." Winter waited, and Weiss lowered her head, taking a deep breath as Winter nodded. "Okay, now before you ask more questions, Mother told me you were-." She stopped when their Mother walked over. "Mother,"

Willow walked over to her eldest daughter and gave her a gentle hug. "It's good to see you, sweetie." She whispered the next part. "Thank you so much for being here." She pulled away from the embrace. "Weiss, I asked your sister to come over today. We… We have a lot to talk about."

Weiss lowered her head again as she stayed silent, not a good sign for Winter to work with. "You keep not explaining what you're talking about, Mother…" Winter said in an impatient tone, but not out of annoyance, but out of concern.

"I know… But you're here now. So let's find a private place to talk." Willow requested. "I'd have asked you to come to Weiss' dorm, but-."

"It's fine." Winter assured and the small family began walking in the courtyard together, while Winter took note of Weiss' silence. "There doesn't seem to be any students in that area." She said while pointing at the spot, and Weiss looked to see it was by her favorite tree to rest at with Ruby.

Willow nodded and they walked over, with Weiss gravitating over to the tree. "If it's okay… I'd like to sit by the tree." Weiss requested, and neither her Mother or sister would deny her that, so they nodded and watched as Weiss slowly sat down against the tree.

Winter stood next to her, looking down at her little sister while sighing a bit. "I'd like to know now. Please. What is going on, and why are you feeling this way, Weiss?"

She couldn't answer the moment she heard the question, so Weiss looked up at her Mother, who started sitting down. "I can tell her, sweetie." Willow assured as she brushed some of Weiss' hair from her face.

"O-Okay…" Weiss felt Willow wrapping an arm around her.

"Winter, I know you don't like to sit on grass like this, but-." Winter knelt down before her mom could finish talking, and the Specialist hand her hand on Weiss' shoulder. "Winter," Willow was thankful, but the next part she was going to have to say was hurting her.

"Something as trivial as grass won't ever be an issue, Mother. Now please," Winter couldn't wait any longer.

"Your sister… I…" Willow bit her lip, since she had to talk about the truth a second time. "She's-."

"I'm not a Schnee…" Weiss outright said it, making Willow gasp as she didn't expect her youngest daughter to do that, while Winter looked shocked.

Winter moved her hand off her sister's shoulder, not believing what she said. "Excuse me? What in the world are you talking about, Weiss?" When her sister didn't respond, Winter looked to Willow. "Mother, what are you trying to tell her? Is this some kind of joke?"

Willow watched as Winter stood up and looked upset with what she heard. "This isn't easy to talk about, Winter… Your sister-."

"Is sitting right there, so Weiss, tell me what you just said right now." Winter lost her patience, and Weiss sniffled a bit.

"I'm not a Schnee… I'm not." Weiss shook her head and looked up at Winter, a few tears falling down again. "Mother didn't give birth to me, Winter."

The shock of hearing it a second time got to the Specialist, and she stared at her little sister, knowing that the way she was crying meant she was telling the truth. "W-What," She turned around and held her hand against her head, trying to fabricate what she just heard.

Willow got up and looked ashamed. "I kept this from you both, and your brother… Honestly, I kept this from the whole world because I made a promise to her birth Mother."

"Her birth Mother…" Winter shook her head and turned back around, not looking happy whatsoever. "This is ridiculous. You're trying to tell me that my sister isn't-."

"Winter please…" Weiss slowly got up and hugged her, surprising the Specialist as Weiss gently cried into her chest. "Please don't say we're not sisters… Please…"

The pleading and breaking in her sister's voice pained Winter's heart. "W-What is going on… This… This can't be real." She wrapped her arms around Weiss and looked over at Willow. "Mother…"

"I'm so sorry…" Willow turned away, her guilt making her unable to even look at her eldest daughter. "Do you remember when I showed you that basket? The day I brought Weiss home."

Winter tensed up when she thought back to the day she met her little sister. "Y-Yes… You came into my room and… Showed me the basket that held Weiss in it. Mother, you-."

"I lied to you… I told you that I gave birth to her and that's why I was gone so long that day." Willow let out a somber chuckle. "Goodness… To lie to you both this long. I was always scared that you'd question why I didn't look pregnant back then, but… I suppose my lies kept that from happening."

Thinking about it then, Winter realized how she bit into her lies. "I… You never did look pregnant. But… But she looks exactly like we do, Mother. H-How do you explain that?" Winter asked while rubbing her little sister's back as she cried.

The question was that small bit of hope that Winter had that could prove Weiss was still her little sister by blood. "Because her birth Mother also had white hair and blue eyes." She sighed and rubbed her arm while turning back to face Winter. "She," Thinking of what to say, the Mother of the pained Schnee siblings continued. "She asked me to take care of Weiss, since she couldn't… And because of that, I took her in that day as my own."

"Oh my god…" Winter looked down at Weiss. "Little sister…" Weiss was shaking a little, and Winter was beginning to feel more pain in her heart, so she hugged her tighter, not letting go. "This, This is all so much,"

"Yeah…" It was Weiss who said that, as she kept her eyes closed and hugged Winter harder.

"Mother… I am not happy with you," Winter said it as blunt as she could. "You've kept this from us for years. How could you?" She felt Weiss pulling away, and the Specialist watched her sister taking a deep breath.

Weiss wiped her eyes and shook her head, trying to calm down. "Winter, I don't want this. I don't want you blaming Mother. I don't want things to change between us…"

"Nothing will change, but-." Winter stopped herself, thinking about what she was about to have said. "Why lie for this long?" She asked, focusing on her mother again.

"Because I made a promise to her birth Mother. And because I wanted you, Weiss and Whitley to live lives you could be happy with, so… If I had to keep a lie going for seventeen years, then I was prepared to do it." Willow admitted, showing no shame at that point.

Winter groaned and rubbed her temple. "I can't agree with that. Lying to your children. You raised us better than that."

Weiss wished they wouldn't argue, but she could say nothing at that point. "You're right. I shouldn't have lied. I should have found a different way, but I didn't. I failed there, and while I wish I could try again, I can't. But now, I can at least come out and say it… It doesn't change what your sister means to me. I love her the same way I always have."

"I've never worried about that." Winter stated. "Father is the kind to lie to us though. The kind to deceive us." She walked past her sister, who almost tried reaching out to Winter, but stopped when she could tell how upset she was.

"Winter, I know I lied, but don't you ever compare me to that man." Willow was starting to get upset herself, as her eldest daughter wasn't backing down.

"And why not? Seventeen years. That's how long you've lied about her life to all of us." Winter clenched her fists. "Did you even think of what that would cause?!" Weiss and Willow were taken aback by her raised voice.

"It shouldn't cause anything between you two!" Willow yelled back, but out of instinct, since living with Jacques for so long made her react to someone who'd raise their voice to her.

"This isn't about us! You had no right to lie to all of us like that!" Winter shouted back.

Willow bit her lip, but couldn't keep quiet. "I had no choice!"

"Stop!" Weiss yelled, so her Mother and sister turned to face her, as she stomped her foot against the ground. "I don't want things to change! So please… Just stop!" She started taking several breaths, so Winter quickly moved to her and tried holding her up from falling.

"Weiss, calm down." Winter knew she was overloading herself, so she gently sat her down against the tree. "We're not yelling. Just… Just calm down. Nothing will change. I swear it."

Weiss had her eyes closed while taking more breaths, and she felt Winter taking her hand, so she squeezed it and nodded, while Winter sighed and glanced over her shoulder at Willow. Her Mother mouthed an apology for the yelling, and Winter looked away, unable to fully forgive her Mother for the seventeen year old lie.

" _Nothing will change between us… But I can't just ignore what Mother did."_

* * *

 **Winter's a little peeved, but it's understandable with the situation that she's learned about here. As for Blake and Yang, well, more on them has come to light, and we'll see how far it can go.**

 **To JJ- And even more family confrontation with a bit of moving Blake and Yang's relationship forward. It does suck not being able to help when you want to immediately, but they do understand why they have to wait. Hope you enjoyed Winter's interaction with the situation here.**

 **To the guest on chapter 76- Ah, okay. I'll have to fix that at some point. Thanks for pointing that out.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 77. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 78.**


	78. Distracted

**Here's chapter 78, everyone.**

* * *

Blake was on her own, seeing as Yang was headed to the training room and Blake wasn't up to training at that time, so the cat Faunus of Team RWBY decided to go look for the leader of the team. "Where is she?" After Summer told the team they needed to give Willow and Weiss some time, Blake knew Ruby was the most affected out of the three.

As she continued down the hall, she found herself stopping by Summer's office, so she sighed and knocked on the Blacksmith's door, hoping Ruby was inside with her.

After a few moments, Summer unlocked the door and opened it to see Blake standing outside her office. "Blake? Oh, I didn't think it was you knocking," She looked around the hall, having thought her own daughter was the one to knock. "I thought it was Ruby."

"I was hoping she was with you actually." Blake explained.

"No, but… I bet she's just trying to figure out what to say to Snowflake… I mean, Weiss, when she's ready to talk." Summer still felt guilty about being unable to tell them about what was happening, as her somber look was an easy tell.

"That's the thing, I just, I know Ruby isn't doing okay about this." Blake noted. "So if you see her, let her know I'm looking for her."

Summer was happy that her daughter had friends like Blake looking out for her, so she let out a smile and pulled her scroll out. "I'll do you one better," She began writing a message to her daughter, while Blake raised an eyebrow and wondered what she was about to tell her. "Okay, I just told her to meet me in the library, so be there in a few minutes so you can catch her."

Blake was surprised Summer would use a little white lie like that. "You don't think she'll be upset that you kind of tricked her?"

"Heh, my daughter isn't about to get angry over something this small, and since I know you want to talk with her, then it's worth any of her pouts." Summer let out a light chuckle, and Blake was still taken aback, but she decided not to complain and nodded to the Blacksmith.

"Well, thank you." Blake gave her a respectful bow and made her way to the library, while Summer held the door frame with one hand, looking at the cat Faunus walking off as she was still smiling.

"I can see why Yang talks about her a lot in our calls." Summer said as she went back into her office, with the hope that Blake could get her daughter to feel a bit better.

* * *

"Qrow, I don't really care about the risks. I've got enough on my plate to add more worry to my daily life." Raven said to her twin brother, as both were discussing the mission while out on a hunt.

The twin brother of the pair swung his blade at an incoming Beowolf, cleaving it in two as it dissipated into dust. "Just trying to make conversation is all, don't bite my head off, and besides, when did you have a daily life?"

Raven rolled her eyes, stabbing a Taara in the head, killing it instantly as she could tell her brother was smirking. "More than a man who just goes to every barmaid in every kingdom for a living."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Qrow countered and looked around the stream they were next to, as the Grimm around them were all killed off, but it wasn't the end of their small mission they were taking.

"You're the one who suggested we take this job, so why did you really want me out here, Qrow? I don't have time for your games." Raven walked right past her brother and heard the splashes of fish in the stream they were next to, while also trying to feel for any vibrations in the dirt ground under them, as she was going up the path with the rocky hills that kept them in the ravine.

Qrow groaned, wishing he didn't suggest they both take the mission. "I should've just stayed with Tai in that warehouse…" He grumbled a bit back from Raven, so she didn't hear him. He caught up with her while they both kept watch above them for any pouncing Grimm that could ambush them. "Look, you've been pretty damn distracted lately, so I thought you just needed a break from this Relentless situation and-."

Raven spun around and glared, her red eyes cutting deep. "Don't start, Qrow. I don't get distracted. I'm not you."

"No, you're not me, but I can tell you've been acting different ever since you left to go train with Willow the other day. Hell, you didn't even stutter when talking to Tai." The usually drunk huntsman remarked.

Instead of giving him a verbal response, Raven shook her head, since he mentioned Willow, and she turned back around and made her way up the dirt hill road.

"Ignoring me is just proving my point." Qrow called out, and Raven continued to walk, not wanting to have any form of conversation with her brother.

More Grimm began to show up, so the twin siblings kept their weapons at the ready, as several normal Grimm and Elementals circled them. "Shut up and focus on the mission you suggested we go on."

She was using that as a way to escape the conversation, and Qrow groaned at her difficultness, so he simply changed his blade to its scythe form, surprising Raven, since he only ever used that in serious situations.

Qrow smirked and dashed forward, Raven's hair flowing from the speed of his dash past her. He easily cut down the two Ursa and three Beowolves in his path. Raven bit her lip, knowing what he was doing, but she couldn't let him see her falling behind, or she'd be proving his point even further, so she jumped back from a Strom's lightning strike.

" _I should've realized he wanted me out here alone… Idiot."_

Raven sheathed her blade for just a moment, waiting as the Strom to charge at her, and when it did, she closed her eyes for a moment, unsheathing the blade and dashing past it. Not a moment later, the Strom went still, only to fall over as a clean slice on its neck was enough to take it down.

Another two Taara jumped from behind the bushes, lunging straight for Raven, but the huntress simply swapped out the blade of her sword with an ice blade, spinning around and slashing into the two Taara who were instantly frozen in place, so they fell to the ground and shattered.

"Heh, done. Now do you feel like talking, or are you gonna ignore me again?" Qrow asked after changing his weapon back into its sword form.

"You're annoying." Raven simply remarked after sheathing her sword again, and as she crossed her arms, she could hear the sounds of a few animals around them, while Qrow let out a laugh.

"Just means I was right," He looked directly into her eyes. "You are distracted."

Raven wanted to punch him right there, but she held back, wanting to see what he was trying to imply. "And what exactly am I being distracted by? Go on and tell me, Qrow."

"Beats me, but being distracted isn't good for the real mission we're on, and don't forget who we're helping." Qrow was trying to get under her skin so she'd talk. "Willow's friend, and if she's affected by you being distracted, then that means Willow is affected t-."

"Shut it!" Raven yelled, and she surprised herself, holding her hand close to her mouth, almost as if she wanted to shut herself up.

"So that's it," Qrow turned around and pulled out his flask while walking up the dirt path.

"W-What? What are you talking ab… Hey! I'm talking to you!" Raven growled and started catching up to her brother, but as she reached out to grab his shoulder, he turned back around and lowered the flask before he could even take a drink.

"You're really bad at hiding shit," He could see it in her eyes that she wasn't liking his words, so he sighed and put his flask away. "I mentioned Willow's name and you stayed quiet before, and I mention it again and you yell, so spill it already."

Raven couldn't deny that, but she wasn't completely sure why she reacted the way she did herself at times. She was an adult, and not some teenager in school. She went through a marriage with Taiyang, knew what love was, and heartbreak, but she still couldn't grasp at why she'd react when hearing Willow's name.

"She's pushing herself too far, and this mission will only get her to make idiotic mistakes if she catches wind of it, so excuse me for looking out for the idiot." Raven growled.

"If it's about that deal," When Qrow mentioned that, Raven's eyes widened. "Yeah, Summer told me, but yeah, if it's about that deal of yours, then why act like this? You already know she won't disarm you."

The huntress lowered her arms, as she was taking that moment to get serious. "She may be an idiot, but she's improved,"

"Sounds to me like you're just handicapping yourself… BECAUSE, it's her." Qrow remarked.

"What the hell are you implying?" Raven questioned, almost wanting to reach for her blade to shut him up.

"That you care about her more than you let on." Qrow stated, not beating around the bush anymore. "And that you don't want to see her hurt, so yeah, you're distracted. My point was made."

His words echoed in her mind for a few moments. Repeating him saying that she cared more about Willow than she thought, and while that was true, she didn't realize just how much they had gotten closer.

"Do you get it yet, or should I paint you a picture?" Qrow asked with a bit of a smirk showing.

Raven instantly grabbed the collar of his shirt and slammed him against the rock wall, causing him to grunt a bit, thought he wasn't surprised by her response. "You need to learn when to stop acting like a smartass…"

"Uh huh… Look, if you care about her, then don't start babying her now, or guess what…" She waited on him to continue. "She's gonna end up going in, unprepared… And I think you know what happens to people who go into a fight unprepared."

"She doesn't have to fight anyone, you moron!" Raven shoved away from him and her brother dusted himself off as she looked away from him. "People like Willow Schnee shouldn't be involved in what we do…"

Qrow rolled his eyes. "You're the one being an idiot right now. You said it yourself literally a minute ago. She's improved."

"We went to a combat school for this!" Raven yelled as she spun around and kept her death stare on her brother. "She's just learning to defend herself, yet she's asking me to take her on a hunt!"

The huntsman scoffed, looking back at where they killed a bunch of Grimm. "Seeing as you easily killed a bunch of Grimm back there, I don't see what you're so scared about, and if I recall, you graduated from that combat school, and she's learning from you, so I'd say that qualifies as her getting proper training."

"This conversation is over," Raven refused to let it go on, so she unsheathed her blade and continued back up the hill. "If you even try to continue this, I won't hesitate to-."

"What? Strike me down? I'd love to see you try," Qrow grinned, holding his sword out as he saw his sister freeze. "You and I both know we're evenly matched, so come on, sis. Throw that bitchy attitude of yours at me."

Raven clenched her fist, her face becoming passive as she was starting to understand what her brother was doing. She still hated it, having the talk about Willow, and how she could one day become involved in what they do, and the fear of Lazuria's Relentless situation being something she'd be part of sinking in even further.

"She doesn't need this…" Raven said quietly, but it was still loud enough for Qrow to hear.

"You don't get to make that choice for her. She made that deal with you because SHE wanted to." Qrow countered, and watched as Raven took a deep breath.

"That idiot won't disarm me…" Raven assured.

"She's been improving, right? Just wait and see on her, and then tell me how that goes, but you gotta realize Willow is making her own choices here." Qrow explained. "Don't forget the choices you and I made in our lives."

"Don't treat me like a child," Raven ordered, choosing to continue walking up the hill as she had no intention of fight Qrow anymore, while the brother of the twin siblings knew he was somewhat able to get her to at least think about her situation with Willow.

" _Such a damn pest…"_

* * *

Ruby was sighing to herself, having received the message from her mother to meet her at the library. Honestly she just wanted to be alone, to gather her thoughts and figure out the best way to help her girlfriend feel better.

"Weiss," Ruby quietly said her name to herself, hating how the white wolf had looked when she checked on her earlier that day, but Ruby started shaking her head. "No, I gotta relax. Her mom is here, and they'll work things out."

While she had faith in those words, she would still feel worried throughout the day.

" _I should just… I should try to distract myself. Maybe a trip to Vale or something…"_

She didn't want to try training, since even for her, the constant amount of training was taxing on any student. As she thought more about what she could do, she entered the library, taking a few glances around to see where her mother was, but instead she was greeted by someone else she wasn't expecting.

"Blake?"

* * *

 **Sorry for posting a chapter late. Internet outages are great… Anyways, this chapter is to show that Raven is making things too personal in the mission. And to show that Blake and Ruby can indeed interact.**

 **To JJ- I based her hobby of drawing on Volume 2 episode 1 where Yang noticed her drawing in her book, so that's why she's the artist here. And as for Winter, learning something like that is very hard on someone, mostly because she's angry for her sister, rather than the lie itself told to her.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 78. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 79.**


	79. I Need More Time

**Here's chapter 79, everyone.**

* * *

"Hey," Blake greeted her team leader, though at that point, she was her friend too. "I'm sorry if you were expecting to see your mom instead of me, but… Well I was hoping we could talk, and I couldn't find you anywhere."

Ruby understood that the message her mother had sent her was just a ploy for her to show up, so she rubbed the back of her head, feeling a little confused about it. "Oh, uh… Well I'm here now. So… What did you wanna talk about, Blake?"

"Would you be okay sitting down for this?" Blake asked, pulling out a chair from the table she was sat at, so Ruby simply walked over and took a seat. "How are you feeling?"

A sigh escaped Ruby's lips. "I think you can take a good guess."

"Right, well, how about compared to before? Are you at least starting to feel a bit better after what your mom told us?" Blake inquired.

"I guess so." Ruby fiddled with her thumbs a bit while laying her hands on the table, while deep in thought of her girlfriend since she was the topic at hand. "I know I have to wait, and… It's okay, since I know her mom will make sure things work out, but still… I hate not being able to help right now."

"It's always like that. Hating the fact that you can't do something. Trust me, I know the feeling." Blake sympathized, while Ruby wondered what she meant. "I'm not trying to compare my own issues with this, Ruby. I just wanted you to know I understand how you feel."

"Oh…" Ruby wasn't completely sure how to respond in that moment, so she turned away and looked forward, sighing a bit more since while the sympathy was nice, there wasn't anything she could do now to really feel any better about it.

Blake reached out, rubbing the team leader's shoulder a few times. "Ruby, I know you care a lot about Weiss," She took a breath. "If Yang was like this, I know I'd feel the same, but-."

"Huh?" Ruby lifted her head up, giving her a questioning look. "Yang? What do you mean?"

"I-I just meant that I'd hate not being able to help her if she was in the same situation." Blake said with a blush, but Ruby noticed that and her eyes were starting to go wide.

"Wait… Do you… Do you like Yang?" Ruby asked outright, and Blake's blush grew much redder, pretty much confirming Ruby's suspicion, so the rose girl gasped. "You do!" Blake quickly held her hand over Ruby's mouth, as the librarian walked over and tapped her foot against the ground.

"Ladies, you should know the rule when in the library," She had crossed her arms and looked a little annoyed, seeing as she's more than likely dealt with something like that on a daily basis.

"We're sorry, ma'am. It won't happen again." Blake assured while keeping her hand against Ruby's mouth, showing the librarian she had her under control.

"Hmm, it better not." The librarian took her leave, and Blake moved her hand away from Ruby's mouth, giving her an embarrassed glare.

"Did you seriously have to yell that out…" Blake questioned in an annoyed whisper, while Ruby's eyes were practically sparkling from the confirmation.

She kept her voice down when she spoke. "Sorry, but this is just so awesome. I had no idea you liked my sister," Ruby had leaned in to whisper, since she wanted to respect Blake's privacy. "When ya gonna tell her?"

Blake's cat ears perked up instantly, so she backed away from Ruby, bringing the chair with her as it screeched against the ground. "W-What? I'm not telling her…"

"Huh? Why not?" Ruby questioned, but then it hit her. She was also the same way with Weiss, being unable to tell her how she felt about her for awhile. "Wait… Yeah, I shouldn't be talking… But you shouldn't keep it to yourself, Blake."

"T-This isn't about me right now, Ruby." Her stutter seemed out of character for her, but to have feelings for someone again in her life was able to trip her up.

Ruby playfully rolled her eyes. "We don't have to make it all about me, y'know. Besides, Yang is MY sister, so you know if you hurt her, you gotta answer to me, and waiting long will hurt her…"

The serious tone Ruby gave her was a bit surprising to Blake. "How would it hurt her?"

"Because Yang had a mom who left her, Blake." Ruby's serious tone wasn't disappearing, so Blake simply stayed quiet and listened. "For a long time, she didn't think her mom loved her… I hated seeing her like that, and only recently her mom patched things up with her… So why does she have to wait on another person to show her they care?"

This was a new side to Ruby that Blake was starting to see, and while Ruby herself waited awhile to tell Weiss how she felt, she knew Blake was much more confident than her at times, so she felt that she could do it.

"That's not the same," Blake was equally serious. "Her mother left her, Ruby. I'm… I'm not the kind of person she should be with anyways. More problems would come up with me around her like that."

"Don't say things like that," Ruby ordered while giving her a saddened look. "No one is a burden to anyone here, and you've been a great friend to all of us, so why would anyone around you ever have more problems?"

"You don't know me, Ruby…" Blake turned in her seat. "Look, I'm not comfortable talking about this right now, and besides, I just wanted to talk to you about Weiss. Not Yang…"

"Ugh, come on, Blake." Ruby got up from her chair, prompting Blake to turn back around to see her offering her hand to her. "I'm actually able to help here, something I can't do for Weiss yet, so please, let me do this for you."

Blake's cat ears twitched, and she thought back to how much Yang has helped her get over her past, and how Weiss the other night was getting her to realize those she can still connect with again. "Ruby…"

"Please… Let me help my friend." The rose girl let out a smile with her hand still extended out to Blake, hoping the cat Faunus would take it.

Not a moment later, Blake let out a silent chuckle while lowering her head. "You three…" She lifted her head back up and smiled. "Yeah… Okay." She took her hand, realizing that her team would always look out for her.

* * *

"Weiss… Sweetie, do you want to say anything?" Willow asked, while she and her two daughters were in the Team RWBY dorm at the time.

"She shouldn't have to say anything, mother." Winter spoke up, a bit of venom in her voice as she was still angry with her mother for lying to the family for seventeen years. "Just let her be."

"Winter, I-." Willow cut herself off, feeling as she really had no say on the matter from what she had done, or to what she hadn't done. "You still don't get it." Even so, Weiss wasn't liking the way they were talking with each other.

Weiss balled up her fists and lowered her head. "Stop it already… You both promised nothing would change, so quit acting like this…" She honestly just wanted to leave, not look back and continue her work at school.

"Nothing will change, Weiss, but this is still something we need to discuss at some point." Winter stated.

"Mom and I already talked about this, Winter." Weiss explained. "I know my birth mother's name, and yes, my father too. I have more questions, more answers I need to hear, but right now… I just want nothing to start changing."

Winter looked over at her mother, sighing a bit as she was still upset with her. "Fine, we won't talk about certain things," She said in reference to their mother lying. "But I'd at least like to know who these people are. Her birth parents."

"I can tell you, but you have to promise me that you won't try and use your status as a Specialist to look for them…" Willow said to her eldest child.

"You should know I wouldn't risk causing any more problems," She turned to look down at her little sister. "But if you ever wish to know more about them, I won't hesitate for you." She said to Weiss.

Willow wanted to speak out against that, but she chose to allow her youngest daughter to speak for herself. "This is still a lot to take in, Winter." Weiss admitted. "I need more time…"

With hearing that, Winter nodded to her. "I understand, Weiss. No one will rush you."

"Thank you, Winter." Weiss said, thinking to herself as to what she should even do next.

"You don't have to thank me. Everything will work out." Winter assured, but she knew that she only had three days to make sure her sister would be truly okay.

Weiss got up from her bed and held her hand out, creating a glyph in her hand, shocking Winter as the younger Schnee sibling let out a small smile, glancing up at her sister. "It's… Still hard to believe that I can do this too…" She noticed Winter still looked shocked. "I know. It's not what you expected, but I can do this too now." Weiss sighed and cast her glyph away. "Her name is Lazuria Okami, and his name is Riktor Unubore."

Winter was still reeling back from the fact that Weiss was able to create glyphs. "W-What? That can't be… Their names… If that's their names, then how can you use our family semblance?"

"That's," Weiss let out a somber chuckle. "I still don't know, Winter. I really don't, but I'm able to, so I have to just do what I can to make sure I use both my glyphs, and my wolf changing ability properly." She was still smiling, even if it was a saddened one. "It's what you would and mother would continue to tell me."

Hearing her sister speaking like that made Winter feel awful. She knew Weiss was bottling her feelings up, and that she had a lot more pressure on her. "You don't have to say anymore…"

"I know I don't, but as long as you and mom keep your promises, I'm not going to sit here and cry about this." Weiss stood defiantly. "I have to keep up with the rest of my team, Winter. Having this," She brought out another small glyph. "And my wolf semblance takes a lot more out of my aura."

"That's… Weiss I'm not talking about-." Winter stopped when she saw the serious look on Weiss' face.

"Winter, I get it. I already know what you meant," She let her glyph disappear again and looked to her mother. "Mom, I don't want to look for my birth father… Thank you for telling me his name though, and… My birth mother," She took a breath. "If you ever see her… Tell her I'm doing just fine. And that I'm happy being a Schnee." Willow could feel her tears welling up, and Weiss felt bad, but she couldn't feel sorry for herself any longer.

"S-Sweetie, I'm," Willow wiped her eyes, and with how she reacted, Winter started feeling a little guilty about how she spoke to her about her lies. "Okay… Okay…"

"I'm going to the training room… It's getting late and I need to continue bettering my semblances." Weiss opened the door and glanced over her shoulder. "I'll be back in two hours…"

Winter and Willow silently nodded to her, not wanting to upset the girl as they watched her go.

It was quiet. Both Winter and Willow didn't look to each other for a few moments until both turned to speak. "I'm sorry," Both of them said, and they were equally surprised with their apologies.

"Mother," Winter held her arms behind her back again, giving her an apologetic bow. "I spoke out of line. I know nothing of the situation of her birth mother, but… Even so, I'm still-."

"I know, sweetie. Lying to you all was wrong, and I only wish I can redo it all." Willow walked over and hugged her eldest child, letting her eyes close as she sniffled a bit. "You three, you, your sister, your brother, I only wanted the best for you all, and I truly believed it was the only way."

"For this long?" Winter questioned, not letting her arms down.

"Seventeen years ago, I honestly would have said yes," Willow pulled away and held Winter's shoulders. "Now, no… It was wrong of me, and I can only ask of you to please… For Weiss, let's not fight about this."

Winter, while she was an Atlas Specialist, would always put her family before anyone else, so she nodded. "I can promise that, Mother. What does Father know of this? I'm sure he at least knows that Weiss isn't his daughter."

Willow sighed and pulled away, shaking her head a few times. "I don't give a damn what he knows, but yes, he does know Weiss is not his daughter."

"There's more to this, Mother. So please, help me understand." Winter requested, as she wasn't ready to drop the subject, though she would keep her promise to not fight about it.

"You deserve to know, yes." She sat down on Weiss' bunk. "Her birth Mother truly wanted her to live a happy life, so she asked me to take care of her… It starts there."

* * *

 **So while Blake does have feelings for Yang, that doesn't guarantee Bumbleby is set in stone. It just shows how much Yang means to her at this point in the story, seeing as she's been the one to have her back all the time and has gone out of her way to truly know her.**

 **To JJ- Raven has her issues, and while Qrow may be a bit harsh, he is right in this scenario, but we'll have to see if Raven will figure out how to handle this. And who knows, maybe Blake can teach Ruby about art, but that would more than likely be scenes not shown too much.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 79. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 80.**


	80. Silence

**Here's chapter 80, everyone.**

* * *

"You done sulking yet?" Qrow asked while he and his sister were heading back to the warehouse after getting paid for the mission they dealt with. "If not, I'm gonna take the long way back."

"Shut the hell up already." Raven glared. "If you want to do that, go right ahead, I'm not stopping you."

Qrow crossed his arms and shook his head disappointingly. "Yup, still sulking."

"What is your damn problem?" She questioned after stomping her foot and turned to face him.

"My problem is your acting like a kid by avoiding exactly what we both know, and it's not going to help us on dealing with these hunters." Qrow stated. "You're letting your own personal feelings get in the way because you keep ignoring-."

A blade was at his neck, and he sighed while holding his hands up. "Nothing will be personal here, and those hunters won't last long. This will be an easy mission, but if you want to cry about how I handle it, then back out. Now."

"Get your sword out of my face." Qrow demanded, not looking nervous that her sword was at his neck.

A few moments passed, and Raven slowly pulled her blade back. "You don't need to be involved anymore if you continue this."

"I'm not backing out because you told me to, idiot. I'm the one who took the job, so I'll see it through, but you need to get yourself in check. Willow already has Jacques to deal with, so don't make her deal with another moron." Qrow warned and pushed past his sister.

"Don't give me that! The entire point of keeping her out of the things we do is because she deals with that piece of garbage!" Raven surprised herself again with how she raised her voice, and Qrow shrugged it off while continuing to make his way to the warehouse.

"And what you're doing hasn't been 'keeping her out of this?' Oh yeah, sure, sis. Look, either you need to let her do what she wants by joining you on a hunt, or find her a trainer who will take her seriously." Qrow said without turning around.

"This isn't your business." Raven snarled, her patience already gone and clearly he wasn't making it better for himself, but Qrow wasn't soft either.

"True, but you causing problems by not being focused on the mission involves me, and I don't need a half assed huntress weighing us down for something like this." While he didn't mean it completely, as it was meant to get her to understand, Raven froze from his words.

Qrow realized she stopped walking when he couldn't hear her boots against the ground, so he sighed to himself and continued walking, not choosing to look back as he hoped his sister would realize what she should be doing.

" _Weak people… That's just how things are. If they stay weak, they can't do a damn thing, but this is life and death damn it."_

While Raven had her feelings in check many times before, the idea of Willow losing her life to the way things were for them, it wasn't something she wanted lodged in her mind, but to Raven, Willow not improving and getting stronger was a risk in itself.

As the huntress watched her brother walk off, she sighed and pulled her scroll out. After thinking about what to say, she sent her message and pocketed her scroll, choosing to walk to the warehouse at her own pace, though mostly to avoid talking to her younger brother.

* * *

"Soooo, when did you realize you liked my sister?" Ruby asked, while both she and Blake were outside in the courtyard, a good bit away from some of the other students as Blake wanted privacy for the conversation at hand.

"I… I guess not too long before the mission we went on with Ms. Goodwitch." Blake admitted with a blush. "Back then, well, during the mission… I noticed how she got. How protective she can be," She let out a small smile. "It's a bit silly, since I don't want her getting into fights we can't handle just because she feels like she has to protect me."

Ruby let out a light chuckle and thought about all the times back home, when Yang would baby her over the smallest scratch, though throughout the years, the blonde did lighten up on that. "Yeah, Yang can get like that, but she knows when to lay off too. Y'know, like she knows when someone can handle themselves."

"I can tell. At first, when I saw her speaking with her mom at times. Um, not your mom, I mean… Yeah." Ruby simply nodded, understanding what she meant. "Anyways, when she spoke to her at times, I could tell how angry she can get, but then she ends up calming down fairly easy too."

"Another great thing about my sister. She won't let her anger take over for long." Ruby said proudly. "I used to be really jealous of her actually."

"Hmm? Why?" Blake inquired.

Ruby looked up at the clouds for a second, thinking more about her life in Patch. "Well, she's just always been so… Awesome, y'know." She lowered her head back down to face Blake. "There was this one time, we were trying out hand to hand training… I… Well, I'm not that great in a fight without my scythe, so she kinda kicked my butt."

Blake let out a chuckle. "To be fair, her fighting style is hand to hand."

"Yeah, yeah, but that's not the awesome part. There was this big Ursa that was lurking around us, and when we got split up for a bit, it tried to attack me." Ruby recounted the story with ease, while Blake simply listened. "And since you know how protective Yang can be, she swooped in and saved me. The Ursa even had her in its mouth at one point." Blake stiffened up for a moment, not liking the image of that. "Don't worry, her aura protected her."

"I-I know…" Blake was a little embarrassed that Ruby caught her reaction.

"Hehe, right, well she obviously killed it. Something she could do that I couldn't… I look up to her a lot, and… Knowing she has someone who cares about her, it makes me happy." Ruby gave Blake her brightest smile. "So when you tell her, you gotta promise to make her smile just like this. Got it?"

"Ruby…" Blake looked to the ground for a moment, chuckling a little at how her team leader spoke.

"W-What? I'm trying to be serious here!" Ruby's pout only made Blake laugh a bit louder, so the rose girl blushed, but after a few moments, she started joining in on the laughter.

It didn't take long for the two to calm down, and once they were done with their little laughter fit, Blake spoke. "Thanks, Ruby. I really needed this."

"I should be the one thanking you. If you didn't get me to show up at the library, I'd probably still be sulking." Ruby said, appreciative that her friend got her to relax.

"Hmm, well I know you and Weiss will work things out. I've seen you two and how you act around each other." Blake thought about something and reached for her scroll. "In fact, maybe you can show her this."

Ruby looked curious at that point and leaned over to see what was on her scroll, and Blake pulled up the picture of her art. The one she specifically drew of Weiss in her wolf form, and Ruby if she had a wolf form.

"Whoa, this looks amazing. Is that Weiss?" Ruby asked, her eyes glued to the screen as Blake had a light blush from the compliment.

"Y-Yeah, I actually enjoy drawing. So I thought it would be nice to draw Weiss' wolf form, and since you and her are together, I just felt it was only right to add you in it if you had her semblance." Blake explained.

Ruby blinked a few times, looking closely at the wolf that was meant to be her in the picture. "Wow, Blake. This is really good, like… Amazing. I know Weiss didn't sit still for you to draw her, so you did this all by memory, and you even made a wolf me! That is so awesome! I would love to be a wolf!"

Blake chuckled at Ruby's excitement, and she was glad she was able to help her feel better, while also thinking about how and when to tell Yang how she felt.

* * *

Weiss held Myrtenaster tight in her hand, knowing that she was just trying to blow off steam, but at the same time, she was trying not to let her life spin upside down from the new information she had to live with.

" _I still have to realize where I'm at. Beacon Academy. I'm here to be a huntress, and nothing should slow that down… Not even this."_

Even if she was bottling her emotions up, she didn't care. So as she made it to the training room, she walked in and noticed that Yang was already there, working on her accuracy with long ranged shots from her gauntlets.

"Yang?" Weiss called out and walked over, as the blonde stopped firing, surprised to see the white haired teen was even here to begin with.

"Weiss? What… What are you doing here? I thought you'd be with your mom." Yang instantly tried pulling her into a hug after what happened, but she stopped when Weiss raised a hand up.

"I'm here to continue training to become a huntress. It's what we're all here to do, so please, no questions." Weiss felt a little bad talking to Yang like that, but the last thing she wanted to think about was what her Mother revealed to her, and Yang's questions would do just that.

With how she responded though, Yang was taken aback. "Whoa, uh, Weiss, I mean… I get it got pretty loud back there, but I'm not sure if being out of the loop is something I'm okay with."

"Well too bad, Yang. I don't have any reason to discuss what my Mother and I spoke about, so if you would kindly drop it, I'd appreciate that." Weiss requested while walking over to one of the training consoles.

Yang felt a little hurt by that, but at the same time, she remembered Summer's words, knowing that Weiss was in even more pain than she's ever been. "O-Okay, Weiss. Um, so… Do you wanna spar?"

"No thank you. I'd like to work on fighting without using my wolf form for a while." Weiss was avoiding it, as she tightened her grip on Myrtenaster even more so, while keeping its rapier blade up.

"Oh, well okay. Um, want me to monitor your aura like Ruby does?" Yang still wanted to help in some way, since she knew Weiss was acting differently at the moment.

"I suppose, but I don't plan to stop when my aura is low. I can still use my weapon, and if I need to, I'll set the hard light program to hold a defense instead of using offence." Weiss pressed a few buttons on the training console, while Yang silently nodded, not wanting to say anything that could set Weiss off.

Weiss took a breath as she watched the hard light enemies spawn out, and she readied her blade as she moved away from the console. Yang took a few steps back and watched as Weiss held out two fingers with her right hand, casting a few glyphs behind the hard light enemies, only for her to begin a barrage of dust attacks that started slamming them against the wall of glyphs behind them.

The force of her attacks, combined with slamming against the wall of glyphs made Yang wince, since Weiss usually wasn't that forceful in her attacks, unless she was in her wolf form. Even so, she wasn't done as the hard light enemies in front of her had rifles in their offencive programming.

Yang watched as they started to fire at Weiss, but instead of casting a glyph in front of her, she dashed from side to side, not flinching for even a moment as she leaped up. The hard light enemies aimed up and began firing at her yet again, but she used a glyph that stayed floating in front of her as she descended, blocking every shot until she slammed down on one of them.

The blonde brawler watched as it was crushed from the impact of Weiss' glyph, and with the other hard light enemies stunned for just a moment, Weiss jabbed her blade into one, affectively taking it down, while doing a backflip to dodge one trying to hit her with the butt of its rifle, so as she jumped behind it, she slashed the nape of its neck.

The program was made to shut down any hard light humanoids that took fatal blows, so that one was also considered dead.

As Weiss continued fighting off the hard light program, Yang looked worried about the girl, not seeing this side of her before, since at least when she trained before, she'd try to talk with them at times, but right then and there, she was silent.

* * *

 **Weiss is just letting off some steam. I think. Really though, this is the time where she just needs to think more about herself, and more about what she should be doing with this information. And for Raven, well she's still being too personal, but she's getting there. Oh, and a bit of a tease here, but I know when I'm gonna introduce a certain mama and papa cat now.**

 **To JJ- Yes, it's true. Change will happen in their lives, and whether Weiss can accept these changes will have to be seen when they occur. As for Ruby and Blake, well, as you can see, Ruby is still excited about it, and she's being as helpful as she can be. The story is getting close to picking up more on a certain group's side soon enough.**

 **To Flowey- Haha, I honestly forgot about that line in the game. Well hey, it's how Raven views the world, so she and Flowey does have that in common with each other.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 80. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 81.**


	81. You Are

**Here's chapter 81, everyone.**

* * *

Winter was sat on Blake's bed, having been told of Weiss' birth Mother, and how she had the same 'semblance' Weiss had. It was a lot to take in, and while Willow wished she could tell the whole truth, especially after the pain of knowing what lying had caused, she couldn't. "That's a lot to take in, Mother."

"It is, yes. But now do you understand why I didn't want you kids to know back then?" Willow sniffled, seeing as she's had to recount the story several times in one day.

"I can't say I like it, but I do understand why you would." Winter folded her hands in her lap. "And you're sure you've never been in contact with that woman since she had to leave?"

Willow nodded. "If I did, I would have tried to get her to see Weiss by now." She felt the pain of losing Lazuria, but she kept herself composed. "And yes, I know you have resources that could help find her, but-."

"Then why not let me try? Honestly, I don't have much to say for a woman who would leave their own child like that, but… I don't know the full story either. Even so, I believe that she has to make things right." Winter stated.

"Just as you said. You don't know the full story, and she told me in the time that she had, her being around Weiss would be a danger to her." Willow explained.

"And how exactly is she a danger, Mother? Or is this something else you won't tell us?" Winter questioned, still trying to get more out of her Mother, but she did make sure not to go too far to avoid another argument.

"Winter, please." Willow sighed. "Lazuria asked me to keep her problems away from Weiss, so if you knew what she was dealing with, it would bring a risk to your sister."

Hearing that was enough to make Winter back off a bit. "I see."

"Yes. In the end, I really wish she could see Weiss again, and… Maybe she can one day if she's still alive, but back then, there was nothing either of us could do." Willow said sadly.

"Hmm. Okay." Winter got up and walked to the door. "It's getting late, Mother, so I shall be in my airship, since I wasn't able to inform Ozpin that I'd have no quarters to stay in for my visit."

Before she could leave the room, her Mother got up as well. "Nonsense, you can come over to Summer's room. Remember, she works here, so she has enough space."

"Very well, but if I'm an inconvenience-."

"Stop. You know Summer would rather sleep on the floor than let someone else sleep in an airship, sweetie." Willow smiled and took her eldest daughter's hand. "Come on."

* * *

"You wanna see if Yang is doing anything right now?" Ruby asked Blake, though the cat Faunus thought she meant to tell her how she felt right then, and the blush she had was easy to catch. "I-I mean if we could just see if she wants to hang out is all. Not to tell her about, well, you know."

"Oh," Blake rubbed the back of her head. "She's just doing a bit of training if you wanted to go and check on her."

"Sweet! I'm gonna see if she wants to spar." Ruby cheered. "Maybe you and I can go a few rounds too."

Blake shrugged. "Sure."

Ruby and Blake made their way over to the training room, so the rose girl tried to make some small talk on the way there. "Did you show Yang yet? Your art I mean."

"I did. It's actually why I took pictures of my art. To show her without accidentally showing the unfinished ones I'm still working on." Blake explained, while the art of the cat and the dragon was in the back of her mind.

"Aww, you need to show Weiss now too." Ruby said with joy in her voice. "I know she'll love the art you drew of her."

"I guess it's only fair since I've shown you and Yang. Oh, and don't tell her, but Yang suggested I draw her as a puppy… I'm not doing that." Blake stated.

Ruby giggled. "Yeah, Weiss would probably freak out and threaten to freeze you in place like she usually does."

"Already told Yang that, so I'll just stick to her normal size." Blake was glad she could have normal conversation with more than just Yang now.

"Or you can draw her as a puppy and not show her… Y'know, just let me have it." Ruby half requested, half joked around with her.

Blake playfully rolled her eyes. "And risk having Weiss see it? No thanks."

Ruby let out a cute pout, wishing Blake would actually say yes, so she mumbled something Blake could hear, seeing as they were standing right next to each other, and her cat ears were more sensitive than a human's, even under the bow. "Not like I wanted it anyways…"

"Were… Were you actually serious about that?" Blake questioned, and it was Ruby's turn to blush.

"Kinda." Ruby squeaked.

Blake sighed, but she let out a smile. "Okay, but you have to swear that if she gets mad, you're taking the fall for it. I'm not getting turned into an icicle for this."

Ruby gasped and quickly gave the cat Faunus a hug. "Yes! Thank you, Blake!"

A few students were actually in the hall at the time, looking over at the two with confused expressions on their faces, so Blake groaned, wishing her team leader didn't just up and do that in front of everyone. "You're welcome, Ruby…"

* * *

Weiss cut down more of the hard light enemies in her path, not taking a moment to relax as she still chose not to use her wolf changing ability. Yang was even more worried at that point, since she noticed Weiss was sweating a bit, and her aura was a bit low. "Uh, Weiss, don't you think you should take a break? You've been at this for awhile."

With a roll of her eyes, Weiss jumped away from an attack and shook her head, choosing not to look over at Yang as she responded. "No. I told you before that even if my aura is low, I don't need to stop training."

Yang sighed. "Come on, Weiss." She walked over to the training console and was about to stop the program, but she was greeted by a glyph that was over the console entirely, stopping the blonde from pressing any buttons. "Weiss!"

"What did I just say, Xiao Long?!" Weiss yelled out, but in that moment of being distracted, she was hit by one of the hard light rifle rounds, knocking her back a bit and making her drop the glyph that she casted over the console, so Yang quickly turned the program off.

As soon as the training program turned off, Yang ran over to check on her friend. "Weiss, are you-."

Weiss slapped her hand away and got up, dusting herself off as she glared at the blonde. "Why did you turn it off?! I was fine, you oaf! Ugh, now I have to reset it and-." Yang had enough and grabbed her arm, choosing to ignore anything she said as she started pulling her to the seats. "Let go of me!"

"Not until you calm down." Yang said without raising her voice. "Sit." She ordered as she let go of Weiss' arm, but when she wasn't doing so, Yang crossed her arms. "I can stay here all day and keep you from getting near that console again."

"What is the matter with you?!" Weiss yelled, and Yang sighed.

"Trying to figure out why my best friend is acting like an idiot." Yang countered.

Weiss growled, but she didn't try retaliating. "I'm not doing anything but what everyone else here would do. Train, but I guess you can't handle me taking one shot to my shoulder."

"One, your aura is pretty damn low. Two, you've been going at it for almost two hours, and three, you haven't even tried using your wolf-."

"I don't need that!" Weiss shouted while stomping her foot against the ground, but Yang noticed she was slightly shaking. "I… I don't need to fight as a damn wolf, Yang. I can fight like a Schnee would… I can… I…"

Yang figured what Willow and Weiss had talked about was getting to her, and while she wished she had all the details, she had to just be there for Weiss. Not a moment later, Yang pulled her close and started rubbing the back of her head. "Weiss… Take a second. Please."

"I-I… I…" Weiss couldn't say it. She couldn't admit that she wasn't a Schnee by blood, so instead she buried her face into Yang's shoulder. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry."

"Shh, it's okay. I'm not mad at you, silly. I just want you to be okay." Yang closed her eyes and kept rubbing the back of her head.

In that moment, Ruby and Blake made it to the training room, and when they both saw what was going on, Ruby froze and gasped. Blake didn't expect that either, and not a moment later, the rose girl used her semblance and was at Weiss' side in a second.

Yang realized her sister was there when she opened her eyes, so she lifted a finger up to her own mouth in a shushing motion, as Weiss needed to let it out at the moment. Ruby bit her lip and nodded, as she watched her girlfriend crying into Yang's shoulder.

"Ice Wolf… Someone's here to see you." Yang let out a smile and gently pulled away for Weiss to turn around.

Weiss gasped when she saw that it was the one girl she didn't want seeing her like how Yang had seen her not moment ago. "R-Ruby?"

Ruby took Weiss' hand immediately. "Yeah…" She squeezed her hand, hoping Weiss could talk to her. "Weiss, I… I don't want to make you talk. That's the last thing I'd ever do. Force you to talk about something that'll hurt, but-."

"No, I can tell you. I can," Weiss took a breath and watched as Blake walked over as well. "Blake, you're here too."

"I don't exactly think I can stay away when one of you is like this now, can I?" Blake offered a supportive smile, one that Weiss needed.

Weiss sniffled and wiped her eyes of the few tears that managed to escape. "T-Thank you, and, honestly I'm glad you're here too." She glanced over at Yang next. "I'm still really sorry for yelling at you, Yang. It was wrong of me."

Yang waved it off. "Don't worry about that, Ice Wolf."

Hearing that nickname again made Weiss clench her fist, the one Ruby wasn't holding. "I'd rather you just drop that nickname though…"

"Huh?" Yang, Ruby and Blake looked confused by her request.

Weiss sighed in response, choosing to take a seat as Ruby followed her down. "There's," She needed to think of the word. "Too much to think about now. What my Mother told me outside."

Blake spoke up. "Too much in what way?"

"Who I am…" Weiss said, still confusing her team. "You three know about my semblance. Not my glyphs." Yang and Ruby nodded, while Blake silently waited on her to continue. "The real reason I didn't have glyphs to begin with, is because I'm not a Schnee by blood."

All three girls believed in that moment that they misheard her, all freezing up as Weiss looked saddened with what she said.

Seeing that they weren't saying anything wasn't a shocker to Weiss, so she continued. "It's true. My Mother wasn't the one to give birth to me."

"No way…" Yang muttered, taking a step back as she couldn't believe it.

"Yes," Weiss glanced at Ruby to see how she was taking it, and the rose girl had the most shocked and sympathetic look on her face, so Weiss let out a somber and light laugh. "Shocking, right?"

"Weiss…" Ruby wrapped her arms around her. "I-I don't-."

"It's okay to not know what to say." Weiss said, not returning the embrace, since she was both physically and mentally exhausted, as it was even showing in her eyes as they looked baggy. "And before you ask… I don't know how I have glyphs if I'm not a Sch-."

"Yes you are." Ruby blurted out, and Weiss remained silent, knowing where she was going. "You're a Schnee, and nothing can change that." She pulled away from Weiss, her own tears in her eyes, as she now understood why her girlfriend was in so much pain before. "You're Weiss Schnee, so don't let anyone tell you otherwise." The rose girl planted her lips on Weiss', surprising the older of the two as she started closing her eyes.

Yang let out a smile for the two of them, while Blake was still taking in what Weiss just told them.

" _She's not a Schnee by blood?"_

After a few moments of their kiss, Ruby slowly pulled away, looking into the cereluen eyes she loved, and hoped to wake up to every morning in the future. "You are Weiss Schnee."

Weiss teared up, burying her face into Ruby's chest. "And you're the biggest dork in the whole world… I love you, Ruby Rose."

Ruby, Blake and Yang were taken aback, as neither Ruby or Weiss had used that word in their relationship yet. Weiss didn't regret it either, as she nuzzled into Ruby's chest, the one girl she was ready to truly stay with.

While seeing them like this, Blake herself looked over at Yang, who was holding her hand up to her mouth in shock. In a good way, though still very much a shocking moment for them. It started making Blake think more about what she and Ruby talked about, and as Weiss was still in Ruby's arms, Blake took her scroll out and looked at the pictures of her art.

She smiled when she found the one of Weiss and Ruby as wolves.

"I love you too, Weiss." Ruby declared, and Yang almost let herself cry on the spot, while Blake knew Ruby would say it as well. "I love you so much, Weiss Schnee, so promise me, you'll never stop looking at yourself as Schnee."

"I promise, you dork…" Weiss stayed in Ruby's embrace, truly happy to hear Ruby returning her love.

* * *

 **Just gonna say here for reassurance, the plot is going to pick back up. I'm even in the middle of writing out more for what will happen with the main plot, as well as supporting characters to drive it forward. It's still fun to go with the flow, so I hope people enjoy the plot progression in the coming chapters.**

 **To JJ- Luckily Weiss calmed down a bit before Ruby saw how she was acting, and just a little tease, this isn't the last of Weiss acting in that way. Other moments in this story have the chance to get her riled up. I'm prepping for how I wish to write out her parents, since the history of the characters are different now.**

 **To Pun Lover- I'll give you that one… But it was still a bit of a stretch.**

 **To the guest on chapter 75- Yeah I watch him a good bit as well, and Okami is honestly just a fun name to use. I was also debating on the Wolf's actual name in the game, but I felt Ameterasu was too long.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 81. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 82.**


	82. Growing Into A Family

**Here's chapter 82, everyone.**

* * *

"I'm not trying to sound ungrateful, but how come you're still here?" Lazuria asked Tai, and the blonde huntsman stopped playing on his scroll for a moment to look up and speak with her.

"Huh? Uh, because I'm not about to leave you here by yourself. You never know if one of those Relentless will show up." Tai explained as he set his scroll down on the partially broken table. "Besides, my wife is at Beacon, so I don't exactly have anything going on."

Lazuria shrugged and took a seat on one of the chairs. "Okay then. Well… Besides the fact that your wife is involved here, how come you want to help with this? It's not exactly a go out and hunt Grimm kind of mission."

"So? I didn't become a huntsman to just kill Grimm. Helping others and making sure people can actually live their lives is another part of being one." Tai explained.

"Something my youngest daughter always reminds us old people." Tai let out a smile, thinking about Ruby and her resolve. "And seeing as these guys are making your life impossible, well, I'm going to help you stop them."

Lazuria wasn't the kind to let herself look as surprised, so she simply hummed in response, while Tai nodded and went back to playing on his scroll.

"So, I know this sounds a bit of an intrusive question, but have you ever seen what your daughter has been doing?" Tai asked, and that time Lazuria was actually surprised by the question. "My daughters have been friends with her for years now, so I just thought if you didn't know much about her, you'd like to."

"I-I… Have tried to see how she's been with my semblance." Lazuria explained. "Enhanced sight, so at least I don't have to be as close…"

"Right." Tai knew she didn't want to risk Weiss' life, so she had to stay away. "Well, I can say your daughter has a promising future as a huntress. She's even on a team with my two daughters."

Lazuria was really happy to hear that, since it meant her little wolf had a dream to strive for. "A team… That's good. A team can grow into a family." She sniffled a bit, thinking of her husband and even Glynda.

Tai heard the sniffle, but he chose not to ask any questions on it. "Yeah… You got that right. I mean, I'm on a team with my wife, ex-wife and… Ugh, Qrow."

That actually got the Shifter to chuckle a bit. "He can be a pain from what little I've seen of him. Still, I'm a little surprised that you all stayed as a team for this long."

"Eh, well… I mean, we're on and off as a team." Tai sighed. "My ex-wife. She and I settled things a while back, and," He set the scroll down. "I still care about her a lot, but sometimes I wonder if we can ever really go back to how we were back then. All of us."

"If that's a fear of yours, I think you should probably deal with it before it gets out of your control entirely." Lazuria suggested.

Tai looked over at the Shifter for a moment. "I think that ships already sailed to be honest with you."

"You never know. I mean, your ex-wife is already choosing to stick with this mission, and if your wife and her are still friends, I don't see why you two can't patch things up even more." She countered, and the blonde huntsman thought about it for a moment.

"I, maybe. It's still a bit tough between us, but…" He thought about Yang for a moment. "Our daughter. Raven and mines', she's had her share of anger towards her Mother, and I honestly hate that. A daughter shouldn't hate their Mother, but not too long ago, my wife told me they had a few good talks together."

"Then shouldn't that get you to patch things up even more than you have?" Lazuria questioned.

"There's never a good time to do that." Tai tried making the excuse. "And seeing as we're dealing with this Relentless issue, we really can't risk upsetting each other with this right now." While his reasoning seemed to still be more on the making an excuse side, as the person who requested their help in the first place, Lazuria agreed with that.

"Okay, you got me there, but I still don't think you should wait too long. Just how things are with that woman… I can tell she still has a heart. She wouldn't have agreed to help me if she didn't." Lazuria said.

"Hmm, I don't doubt that." Tai commented, and as he looked over at the entrance of the warehouse, he saw Qrow walking in. "Qrow, where's Raven?"

Qrow shrugged. "Sulking as usual, so I just ditched her."

Tai scowled at the man. "And what made you think that was a good idea?"

"Raven isn't a kid, Tai. She knows how to get here, and besides, I can only deal with her attitude for so long." He pulled up a chair and grabbed his flask from his pocket, instantly taking a swig of it.

"Same can be said with you." Tai said with a roll of his eyes.

Lazuria sighed, wondering if what she said to him about patching things up would be entirely possible with Qrow. "Uh, sorry to cut in, but is she going to be coming back here or not?"

"Don't know, but if she listened to what I said, and I can only hope for once in her life she does, then she'll be back here soon enough." Qrow answered.

"And what DID you say to her exactly?" Tai asked, not liking how he phrased that.

Qrow sighed and put his flask down. "I told her that she needs to stop babying Willow," That caught Lazuria's attention. "And try to let her figure out what she really wants to do with her life, since I'm sure you know she made a deal with Raven, and if she manages to disarm her in a training exercise, then she needs to take her on a hunt."

Lazuria's heart jumped at that. "What? Hold on a second. Willow doesn't have the same kind of training as everyone here. She can't-."

"Ugh, don't you start too." Qrow complained. "Look, you people need to understand that if you just say no to someone, it'll just make them prove you wrong in the long run. Besides, Willow was the one who made up the deal, so it's her choice in the end."

"You're right." Raven suddenly said, getting the three to look over as she walked in. "Which is why I'm not going easy on her, so if she really does improve enough to disarm me, I'll be confident enough in her to bring her on a hunt."

Tai and Qrow were glad to hear that, and Lazuria stood up, choosing to voice her own opinion. "I don't like it, but she's still someone who I respect more than anyone else in this world, so if you do take her out on this hunt," She walked up to the huntress, surprising all three of the Team STRQ members when she used her Shifting ability, becoming the size of a wolf that was on eye level with her. "You better make sure she doesn't get hurt. Do you understand me?"

Raven wasn't easily intimidated, and knew how much Willow meant to this woman, so she simply nodded. "You have my word."

"Uh…" Tai looked at the white wolf that was now in the warehouse, since it was the first time he saw her using that ability. "Soooo, you gonna stay like that?"

Lazuria rolled her eyes and grabbed her clothes with her teeth, as she made her way into the back of the warehouse.

"Did I ask something stupid?" Tai inquired, and Raven pinched the bridge of her nose, while Qrow snorted.

* * *

"Go on and head inside, Winter. I need to check in on something for a moment." Willow said as she opened the door to Summer's room, and after her daughter walked in, she checked on her scroll, seeing that Raven had sent her a message.

" **I thought about the deal we made, and yes, I still plan on keeping my end of the deal, but you better prepare yourself. If you're serious about going with me on a hunt, then know that I won't hold back."**

Willow didn't expect a message from Raven in that regard, but she examined the message several times, thinking about her deal with the huntress, and how serious she was about it.

" _I'm not just trying to prove a point to her."_

She nodded, mentally preparing herself as she knew it really wasn't going to be easy to disarm the woman who's trained most of her life to be a huntress. "I have to do this." Willow nodded to herself and began to write a message back that read.

" **I am serious about it, Raven. So yes, don't go easy on me. And thank you for accepting my deal."**

Willow sent the message, happy that Raven was finally able to accept what she wanted to do. Still, while she was able to feel happy about that, not a moment later her daughter was back in her mind.

" _Winter wasn't wrong to be angry with me. Goodness… I suppose I had to face this day eventually."_

After a few moments, she used her scroll to open Summer's door and as she walked in, she noticed Winter was on her scroll. "Doing a bit of off time work?"

Winter looked over from her scroll and hummed. "Hmm? Oh, yes, I have an assignment that I need to work on after I go back. Before you ask, Mother-."

"I know, sweetie. Classified." Willow was very understanding of her daughter's work, so she sat on the other bed Summer had set up in her room, seeing as she knew there would be times where either Willow, Raven or Tai would visit with her.

"Yes. How are you feeling?" Winter asked.

"I'm doing better now, but still, your sister. I hope to talk with her before she goes to bed tonight." Willow answered.

Winter thought about how Weiss left the room earlier, and with how long she'd be, it was about that time to get back. "She walked out in a hurry." The Specialist folded her hands on her lap. "I can speak with her if you'd like."

"I can speak with her." Willow assured and got up. "Try not to stay up working too late, sweetie." She smiled and left the room, while Winter could only hope that Weiss and their Mother could work things out.

* * *

Yang was rubbing Weiss' back, and Ruby was holding her hand. "Yang, about the nickname… The reason I don't really feel like hearing it anymore is because my Mother, my birth Mother I mean, she's the reason my semblance is being able to change into a wolf."

"Oh," Yang pulled her hand away and frowned. "I didn't think you'd be so against it, Ice.. Weiss. Why though?"

Weiss dug her nails into her lap, while biting her lip. "Because, if… If she wasn't around back then and for my whole life, then maybe I should just focus on the family that did raise 's why I didn't use my wolf semblance while I trained."

Ruby spoke up not a moment later. "Weiss, you shouldn't disconnect yourself from your other semblance like that. It's not about who you got it from."

"I know that, but even so," Weiss sniffled. "I'm a conflicting person. I lived my life as a Schnee, and now I have this other Mother who's the reason for why I can become a wolf. Ruby, it's all just hard to accept."

"Cutting off that other part of you shouldn't be the answer though." Ruby squeezed her hand and looked into her eyes. "Weiss, you took control of your own life, and all this time, without knowing why you had a different semblance, you made it your own. Don't throw it all away for this."

Blake was next to speak her mind. "She's right. This doesn't have to mean you drop everything you've done with that part of you. Letting go of the past can help at times, but right here, right now, I honestly don't think you should."

Weiss didn't think Blake would chime in, but hearing both her and Ruby expressing their concerns for her choice made her rethink it. And in that moment, she looked down at her wolf pendant and her eyes went wide. "My pendant…"

"Your mom, Willow, she knew the connection you had. It's why she got it for you." Ruby smiled and gently took the wolf head pendant in her hand to lift it up slightly. "Please, Weiss. Don't let go of who you are."

Weiss blushed, letting out a sigh as she couldn't help but smile. "First you tell me to never stop seeing myself as a Schnee, and now you're telling me to continue keeping the wolf part of me alive… I feel like such a dolt for keeping you away earlier."

"Hehe, you called yourself a dolt." Ruby giggled a bit, and Weiss held her smile.

"You two are such dorks." Yang chuckled, and Weiss gave her a death glare. "There it is."

"Oaf." Weiss countered.

"Ice… Uh-." Yang stopped herself, not knowing if it was okay to use that nickname still.

Weiss rolled her eyes. "Oh stop. You can say it, Xiao Long. I didn't just sit here hearing how ridiculous I was acting for nothing after all."

Yang smiled at that. "Good, cause you're always gonna be Ice Wolf to me."

* * *

 **Not much to say here, but things are ready to pick up again. Can't wait to see how people will react to that soon.**

 **To JJ- Pretty much, yeah. Weiss will end up getting upset at moments to come, but what those moments are have yet to really get fleshed out, so it'll take a bit of time to get there. Anyways, Ruby isn't one to get flustered over kissing her girlfriend in front of the team, as she only wants Weiss to be happy.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 82. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 83.**


	83. Recovered

**Here's chapter 83, everyone.**

* * *

Weiss felt her scroll going off, so she got up and checked to see that her Mother was asking her to meet her outside her dorm. "My Mother wants to talk… I need-."

"Hey, don't even say it. We'll wait till you're done, Ice Wolf." Yang assured with a thumbs up.

Ruby nodded and kissed Weiss' cheek. "Let us know if there's anything you need, kay."

"Okay…" Weiss returned the kiss and headed back to the dorm, while waving to the team.

Blake watched her go and looked to the two sisters. "I didn't try to listen in, but… There were a few moments where I did hear what they were saying. I just didn't think I was really hearing right was all."

"Yeah, it's crazy. I never thought her mom would keep something like this from her." Yang said in a somber tone. "Her mom has always been really nice, so I didn't think-."

"Yang," Ruby kept her from continuing. "We don't know everything about it. I don't want any of us to think badly of her."

"Whoa, relax, Rubes. I wasn't gonna say anything like that. It's just surprising is all, y'know?" Yang reiterated. "I'm not looking to point fingers here."

Ruby sighed. "Sorry, sis…"

"Hey, don't worry, Ruby." Yang patted her back a few times. "I kinda get how things are when someone's birth mom isn't ready to, well, raise you and stuff." She reminded, and Ruby felt a little worse, so Yang playfully rolled her eyes at the sad look she gave her. "Sheesh, Rubes. Don't give me that look. I'm happy mom raised us, silly."

"O-Okay." Ruby couldn't help but hug her sister, while Blake glanced over at Yang, giving her a bit of an apologetic look as well, while Yang let out a light chuckle and waved it off, not saying anything more.

Blake nodded, choosing not to make a big deal out of it, but in the back of her mind, she wondered when Yang herself would talk about how she really feels herself one day.

* * *

Willow was waiting right outside her daughter's dorm room, thinking about what she should say to her at the time. " _Maybe I should just ask her how her training went. She's not happy talking about Lazuria as much… God, I wish you were here now, Lazuria. I painted a horrible picture of you… I can't do that."_

"Mom." Weiss' voice snapped her out of it, and Willow was glad her daughter didn't take long to come over. "Are you okay?"

"I think I should be asking you that, Snowflake." Willow let out a smile and continued. "How was training? I don't get to see you train anymore, so I get a little excited on hearing how you've improved."

Weiss sighed. "Honestly, I didn't train the way I normally do, mom… I didn't want to use my semblance. I was being such an idiot…"

"You didn't want to use your semblance?" Willow repeated, wondering which of her two abilities she didn't want to use.

"The one my birth Mother has… The one I got from her." Weiss frowned, feeling awful about trying to disconnect herself from Lazuria. "I thought that if I just stuck to fighting as a Schnee, then, then I'd really be one." She whispered that since Team JNPR's room was across the hall.

Willow held her hand to her heart in pain, and she shook her head several times. "Oh, Snowflake…" She watched as Weiss opened the door and stepped inside for some privacy, so Willow followed her in. "You're always going to be a Schnee, sweetie."

"I know, trust me I do." Weiss was smiling at that point, albeit a small one. "Ruby got me to realize how dumb I was being. Yang and Blake too… Yes, I told them."

"The people closest to you." Willow nodded. "I understand why you wanted to tell them, sweetie. And you weren't being dumb. A lot I told you was said all in one day. It's my fault for overloading you."

"I don't want to sit here and play the blame game, mom." Weiss bluntly said. "I only want things to stay the same."

Willow herself wanted that as well, but at the same time, she also wished for Lazuria to be able to hold Weiss in her arms one day. "Nothing will change, Snowflake. I promise you that."

Weiss nodded a few times and sat on her bed. "Still," Willow waited on her to continue. "I wouldn't mind hearing more about her. Lazuria, right?" Her mom let out a small gasp, but she nodded happily at hearing that.

"Yes, sweetie. A-Are you sure you want to?" Willow asked.

"You're my Mother in the end, but you also told me she couldn't risk me. She had her reasons, so… I'd like to get to know the person she was before." Weiss explained.

If Lazuria was there, Willow would have pulled her and Weiss together, but she wasn't, so Willow settled for painting her in the way she should be. "She was truly special, and she wasn't afraid to live the life she wanted. Just like you, Snowflake."

Weiss smiled, enjoying the start of that already.

* * *

As everyone at Beacon was still figuring things out, there was a certain group that hunted Shifters gaining more and more recruits to add to their numbers. "Enter," A voice said from the other side of the door as a Relentless member walked in.

"Ma'am, we have more recruits for processing. Shall I-." Before he could finish, he froze on the spot when the woman in the blue chair turned to face him.

Both eyes bore into the man with venom, as the orange glow was cursing every foul word imaginable without even uttering a single sound. Without a second of thought, the Relentless member instantly bowed his head in respect, but more out of fear.

"M-My apologies, Ma'am… I humbly request that the recruits are blessed with your semblance…" He was sweating, while the woman's eyes continued to stare into him, though her face was covered by the steel mask, grey in color as it had a support system installed into it to help her breathe.

"And why did you come here?" The question was simple, yet the Relentless member knew what she meant by that, so he gulped and hoped the answer he would give was good enough.

"F-From what we have seen… That one animal… She continues to evade us, so as I went to the lab, I was told to inform you of the effects that-."

The woman dressed in a black suit, with a blue tie, only used in certain occasions slammed her fist against his desk, startling the Relentless member. "I don't believe that concerns you. Now tell Dr. Tenso that he is ordered to continue with the processing. Now."

Not a second later, the frightened hunter saluted. "Y-Yes, Ma'am, Master Korrina." After that, he left the room post haste.

"What a coward… If those animals are to be hunted, there will need to be less of his kind." Korrina muttered in annoyance as she took a moment to breathe, which only angered her more until she received a message on a communication device made to be more discreet than using a scroll.

" **Ma'am, I have made modifications to your support system. I shall bring it on your order."**

Korrina grinned, finally having better news that day as she simply sent out the order to bring her new support system up to him.

"Finally, now I don't have to rely on such ridiculous soldier such as that coward." She moved her sleeve up, showing a wolf head mark on her right arm. "Soon, I'll be able to deal with the monster. Your days of hiding and running away will come to an end. I'll make sure of that."

* * *

A few days had passed, and while Winter wished she could stay longer, she knew her duties could not be delayed any further. "I'm sorry I have to leave so soon, but-."

"Don't be sorry, sweetie." Willow smiled and hugged her eldest daughter, still proud of her for how far she's come, so as she pulled away, she gave an understanding expression. "You have your work to do, so don't let us keep you from that."

Winter, while glad that her Mother was very understanding was more worried for her sister. "Yes, but," She looked to her little sister, who was standing to the side of their Mother. "You know that if anything comes up, you can call me."

Weiss nodded, almost tearing up because her sister truly hadn't changed from learning that she wasn't a blood related sister. "Thank you, Winter, and yes, I'll remember that. It… It was really good to see you again, Winter."

The Specialist leaned over, embracing her little sister as she rubbed her back a few times. "Same to you, little sister."

Willow couldn't be happier with how Winter was handling everything, and even though they had a bit of a spat days earlier, she knew it was Winter's caring nature for her little sister that caused her to become angry with the lie she had kept going for over seventeen years.

After a couple of moments, Winter pulled away and looked over her shoulder at her airship. "Well, it's time for me to go. Is there anything-."

Weiss giggled a bit, cutting her sister off. "If you keep asking, you'll be here all days, Winter. Go. I promise I'm okay now."

Winter was surprised by that, but instead of arguing to stay, she simply nodded and looked to her Mother. "I'd like a call or two this week, Mother… Some things we didn't get to speak of."

"Of course, sweetie." Willow knew she meant more about Lazuria, and while she couldn't say everything, she was happy to speak of what she was allowed to talk about, which was who Lazuria was as a person.

"Thank you." Winter bowed to the two of them and turned on her boots, so both Weiss and Willow watched her go.

As they did, Weiss sniffled a bit and wiped her eyes, not wanting to let herself cry as Willow noticed, but said nothing. Winter's airship began to takeoff a few moments after the Specialist got inside, and both Weiss and Willow waved her off.

Weiss sighed for a moment and she looked over her shoulder, seeing Ruby, Blake and Yang waiting for her. "Mom… Thank you for telling me more about Lazuria… It was something that I needed to hear."

"Don't thank me, Snowflake. I should have told you about her years ago…. But still, I'm glad you know of her now." Willow looked up at the clouds, wishing her old friend was standing next to her right then and there.

Weiss nodded. "Yes, well, I think I'd like to go back to my team. We all decided to have a team training day, so I don't want to delay it any further."

Willow let out a soft chuckle, since her youngest daughter wasn't letting her dream be affected by the news she had received. "Go along, Snowflake. I'll be here for another day, since Summer needs to get back to Atlas tomorrow."

After her Mother said that, Weiss gently hugged her, but it lasted only a moment as she pulled away and began running over to her team. Willow didn't turn around from that, since she was taking in how Weiss responded.

She had hugged her, the woman who raised her since birth, and even learning about Lazuria, Weiss was true to her word. Willow was her Mother, and nothing would change.

* * *

Korrina was fixing up her gear, the same Relentless outfit as the others used, since she didn't want her presence to be known. "Master Korrina, if I may ask, is your support system up to your standards?"

"Hmm, it could be better, but it will do. Tell me, how many of those monsters are on the list still?" Korrina asked the technician who worked on her mask's support system.

"There are still over twenty that are marked, and about three that are being looked into. As usual, we are making sure they aren't simple civilians that have a shift type semblance." The technician answered.

"Good. And you make sure that those three people are properly investigated. I don't need any innocents killed because those idiots investigating them failed their job." Korrina ordered.

The technician bowed in respect. "Of course, Ma'am."

"Now, I expect my weapons are ready as well." Korrina waited on what he'd say.

"Ah, well I believe they are, Ma'am. It's not my department, but through communications, I do know that they only needed to be sharpened for proper use." As he said that, Korrina nodded.

"I shall go and inspect them. Continue to work on improvements on the support system." Korrina demanded and walked past the technician, who breathed out a sigh of relief, since he hadn't angered her.

As she walked through the facility, she knew that with time, she'd be back up to par in terms of her combat abilities, but until then, Korrina would need to re-train her body. It angered her, but in the end, the Relentless leader knew her wishes would be granted soon, and on her own accord.

" _You monsters will see that I can't be kept down forever. I'll be sure to bring back what it means to be a hunter."_

She smirked to herself while rubbing her right arm, thinking more about the target she had in mind. It truly irked her, how the target could be still alive, and with that, she was driven to find the one that had managed to escape her hunters for over seventeen years.

* * *

 **I think it's been long enough to finally introduce this character. Wait… 83 chapters and now getting to her… Oh. Well, I did say I liked slow burns.**

 **To the guest on chapter 81- I apologize for forgetting to respond to your earlier review, and for the wolf name, well as I said, Okami also sounds better in my opinion for her last name too. And the game is just beautiful to me, so using the word Okami is just something I enjoy.**

 **To JJ- Similar to Blake and Ruby, I want to make sure characters are interacting with each other, so if there is a moment that feels like certain people should interact more, I'd love to hear suggestions on it. Since again, character building also stems from interactions with the other characters.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 83. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 84.**


	84. Learning Control

**Here's chapter 84, everyone.**

* * *

Whitley was tired. He wasn't sure why, but he was simply tired. His Mother seemed to be out more and more, and his Father was the same as always. Focused on his company, and yet, even then, he believed going to his Father was to help him. "Whitley, I'm a little busy right now, so-."

"I'm sorry for barging in unannounced, Father, but there is something I wish to ask you." Whitley said, and his Father motioned for him to sit so they could talk. As the boy took a seat in front of his Father's desk, he took a breath. "I'd like to know more about the direction of the company. In terms of where you are taking it, Father."

"You should know by now where it is, and where it shall be, son." Jacques folded his hands on his desk, thinking back to when he first acquired the company from Willow's father. "But if you need a reminder, the company will continue to expand its presence all around Remnant. In fact, it seems the headmaster of Haven finally has the protection that kingdom needs."

"That sounds wonderful, Father, but… At the same time, what is the purpose of continuing to expand? Money is never an issue, and I'm sure most kingdoms are completely supplied by-."

"Only a fool would think that enough is the end goal, son. What happens if we slow down? What happens when those hunters end up finding more means to supply themselves?" Jacques questioned, mostly testing his son.

Whitley took a moment to think on how to answer. His thoughts went immediately to losing money, and notoriety, but was it something to care about in his eyes was the real question he asked himself. "I suppose other companies will be relied on instead."

"That's part of it, and with that, no one out there will remember the name of this family, and what it offers to the world. Your Grandfather started this company when he was a huntsman, you know that, don't you?" When Whitley nodded, he continued. "Then you should know that keeping it alive for generations to come is how no one else in Remnant could hold a candle to the kind of influence we hold."

Jacques didn't care to be physically strong. He didn't care to fight, but what he did care about was simply having his way, and what better way than to be the number one dust supplier in Remnant. Something every huntsman and huntress needed for their weapons to protect the people of the planet. Not only that, but people like General Ironwood had also relied on his company for dust, so even with their differences, Jacques had some say in even the General's choices.

Whitley had a bit of a nervous twitch as he had a question. "I-I'm a little unsure still, Father. Won't some people go against the way you have grown the company? It's mostly discussions I hear about the Faunus and-."

"You have nothing to worry about, son. The Faunus simply bring false claims to try and solicit more money than they deserve." Jacques explained. "Humans and Faunus are easily treated fairly, but like those mongrels in the White Fang, some Faunus still can't see how good they have it."

The word mongrel made Whitley freeze up, as he remembered when he used the word mutt on his own sister. And while he did listen to most of what his Father told him, he also knew of what people would say of his Father and the company.

"O-Okay, Father. Thank you for this." Whitley got up and gave a respectful bow as he turned on his feet and walked to the door.

"Whitley," Jacques voice was one of the few things that could stop the boy from walking away, so he stood still, a few feet in front of the door. "I'd like you to know that while your Mother has things to say about how I run this company, you'll be happy to know your future is safely secured."

His future. It's how his Father phrased it. Not including his Mother, or even his sisters made him worried, but he simply nodded, not wishing to express his concern in front of his Father. "I understand, Father."

He left the room with a bad taste in his mouth. Whitley thought talking about the company would help him feel better, but in the end it made him feel worse. Still, it was something he was also glad to do.

* * *

"You're able to do that much with your semblance?" Yang asked her partner, who simply nodded, showing her that she could use dust with her semblance by creating an ice clone, only to jump away from it. "Okay! That would be cheating if you were in an ice sculpture contest. Just saying."

Blake playfully rolled her eyes. "It's not like I'd ever enter."

Yang shrugged in response. "Hey, it wouldn't be so bad as long as you don't get caught while doing it." She turned to look at the target wall, and as she took a breath, the blonde brawler thought to herself.

With an image in her mind, she was set, and keeping her eyes closed was something she needed to do. Blake was intrigued on what she was doing, and as Yang closed her eyes, she took a shot at the wall.

Not a moment later, she opened her eyes. They weren't red, and she was proud to see that she was able to continue hitting the mark she was aiming at. "Good… Just gotta keep that up."

"Keep what up?" Blake asked as Yang turned to face her, and the smile she had on brought a blush to the cat Faunus' face.

"Sometimes I tend to get a little angry when fighting, so I've been training myself to cool off. And it looks like it seriously helps out my aim too." Yang said proudly, and Blake was honestly happy to hear that.

"It does make sense that a calmer mind will help anyone in a fight." Blake agreed.

Yang nodded, but she sighed and held one of her gauntlets with the other hand. "When I close my eyes, I think about the day my mom and dad…" She closed her eyes again, since her heart began to beat a bit faster, and after a few moments, she was feeling calmer, while Blake's ears drooped a bit. "Sorry. Anyways, I think about when they split up… It used to make me really angry, cause my dad was miserable."

Blake almost felt like interrupting, but she didn't, wanting to respect her partner's moment.

"It's one of the easiest ways for me to get mad, so I make myself remember that day, and when I do, I figure out how to not be, well, mad." Yang brought her grin back up. "Like I said it's been helping a lot."

Just hearing her explanation showed Blake that Yang still had her own demons, and she hoped she could help her in someway in overcoming them. "You're honestly really brave in taking on that kind of memory so many times…"

Yang waved it off. "Eh, it's not as hard sometimes. Besides, just look at the shots I've taken."

Her boasting was a sign that she wasn't the kind of person to let something get to her that easily, so Blake did as she said by looking over at the target wall, seeing the larger hole made in the middle, as opposed to the four other off-centered shots she's taken.

"See? Now all I gotta do is work on moving targets, cause no way are Grimm just gonna sit there and let me shoot em in the head." Yang said while thinking of a way to train herself more.

Blake looked over at one of the training consoles, already knowing of a way Yang could test herself with it. "There's always the training program that lets you choose how the A.I can act."

"Hmm? Oh, well yeah I thought about that too, but those are more like human enemies, so it doesn't really show me how Grimm can move, but it's still worth a shot." Yang said, while Blake was simply glad she was getting somewhere in terms of helping Yang. "I'll try it out next time I'm training alone, since I know Ruby is itching to get some team practice in."

"Seeing as how that was the main reason we all came in here, I can tell she's probably getting a bit impatient about it." As Blake said that, she glanced over at Ruby, who had her arms crossed and was tapping her boot against the ground.

"Come on, you two!" Ruby yelled out, since they had finally taken note of her. "We're supposed to be training as a team here!"

Weiss rolled her eyes, but chose not to intervene, since she knew best on how her girlfriend could be like when she was impatient. "I'm sure they know that, you dork…" She mumbled to herself.

Ruby wasn't able to hear that since she was still flailing around a bit, trying her best to rush Blake and Yang to get over.

As they got over, they both could see how Ruby was pouting, and Yang sighed, having to be the one to get her sister to calm down. "Relax, sis. You know I was just working on some target practice. And besides, we got all day."

"Well yeah! But come on, I told you guys that I wanted to work on team attacks." The team leader said while her partner was playfully rolling her eyes. "So get your butts in gear! Cause it's time to come up with some powerful combos!"

Blake blinked a few times, confused by Ruby's enthusiasm, since she never expected a huntress in training to use the word, combo, like that.

"I'm all up for working on ways to improve, but shouldn't you be taking this a little more serious, Ruby?" Weiss had said from behind her partner, who spun around to face her.

"Sometimes you just gotta have fun with training." Her expression was much happier, and she readied Crescent Rose. "Now get ready too, Weiss, cause I got a really cool idea with your glyphs!"

Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing as she looked to Blake and Yang. "Why couldn't one of you be here sooner so I wasn't the one being dragged into the first team attack…"

"Sorry, Weissy, but I actually had a reason to be late." Yang countered, while Weiss shrugged it off and held Myrtenaster up.

"Fine, but you should remember that my glyphs still need some work. So don't expect too much from whatever idea you have." Weiss stated, since she still didn't feel as confident with her glyphs.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I know you're still working on it, but this idea will be so awesome! And besides, it works a lot with how you're really good with dust." Ruby commented, as she took Weiss' arm and brought her over to the middle of the room.

Yang crossed her arms and sighed. "You know, Ruby… You didn't need to rush us over if you and Weiss were gonna go first."

Ruby stuck her tongue out at her sister, while she started to explain her idea. "Okay, so I know you like using your other semblance more, but I was thinking of you putting a glyph right in front of us, then using ice dust with it."

Weiss raised an eyebrow at that. "Couldn't you just use ice dust rounds?"

"This way we use less dust for the attack, and we'll have cover with your glyph protecting us." Ruby explained, as Weiss figured it was actually not that bad of an idea, especially for a moment where they'd need to back up and still be able to attack.

"I suppose that could work. Okay, well remember what I said about my glyphs." Weiss reminded, and she prepared herself, taking a breath as she thought about her glyphs instead of her wolf abilities.

Not a moment later, Weiss manifested a glyph in front of them, and as it spun, she raised her blade up, and kept it up against the glyph. The dust chamber spun until it got to ice, and when she used it, the glyph was empowered by ice.

Ruby grinned and slammed her scythe down, readying a sniper shot. Once she lined up with where she wanted to shoot, she fired. The sniper round went through the glyph, and as it did, a huge ice blast shot out, surprising Weiss, since she secretly didn't think her idea would work so easily.

"Ay! It worked!" Ruby cheered, while Weiss simply blinked a few times.

"That… Actually just worked?" Weiss questioned, and Ruby smiled proudly.

"Of course it worked! I knew that if I it was a more focused shot, then it would be way stronger. Just look at the target on the wall. It's completely… Covered… Wait, are we supposed to clean that up now?" Ruby asked, and Weiss facepalmed, while Yang simply walked over to the ice on the wall.

The blonde brawler smirked and activated her semblance, warming up the area around her as the ice melted, and showed her sister that the actual sniper round actually was off center by just a bit. "Almost got it, sis. Not bad."

Ruby grumbled something about missing the bullseye, while Weiss was simply happy that her plan actually worked. The white haired teen looked at the continuous spinning glyph and raised her hand, pressing it against the rune.

She smiled a moment later and felt Ruby poking her shoulder. "Hmm?" She turned to see Ruby giving her a proud look. "What?"

"Our team attack. It really worked." Ruby happily stated. "Now I gotta come up with a lot more kinds of cool attacks, especially something with your wolf semblance."

Weiss perked up at that, since her first 'semblance' was something she was more confident in using. "I would like that, Ruby, but don't strain yourself thinking too much on it."

"Ah, you guys worry too much." Ruby waved it off and grinned. "Hmm, maybe I can use my semblance to speed us up, and I throw you at a Grimm to pounce on!"

Hearing that made Weiss freeze up on the spot, finding that idea to be extremely dangerous. "I-I don't think so."

"What?! But why not? You know how much momentum you'd have if you got shot out at something from my semblance? No way would anyone be able to stay up from that." Ruby tried to reason.

"You are not throwing me at anyone, Ruby Rose. And you will drop it right now, as I am not about to be flung by your semblance." Weiss said while grimacing at the image of her being chucked at a Grimm.

Yang simply laughed at the idea, while Ruby pouted, and Blake was joining Yang in the laughter. All the while, Zwei was barking from the seats, wanting to join them on their training.

* * *

 **More stuff on Whitley, and Yang has her own way of growing as a fighter. Controlling her anger will help her in the long run.**

 **To JJ- Blake and Summer, huh? Hmm, I'll have to find a good moment to really work those two in, as I've written something for Blake and her parents already that I hope everyone will enjoy. As for the Relentless, things have finally picked up with them and their leader.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 84. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 85.**


	85. Backup

**Here's chapter 85, everyone.**

* * *

Winter wasn't sure what she'd be able to do with the assignment she was told to handle, as she looked more into the kind of animals she was to investigate. At the moment, she was in Anima, and with several others with her, also assigned to investigate the strange sightings of abnormally large animals in several areas of Remnant.

"You three, keep your scouting to the southwest quadrant of this island. Keep your weapons at the ready at all times, and don't hesitate to take out any Grimm you find either." Winter ordered, and the three soldiers nodded, taking off not a moment later as she turned to face the other eight with her. "You two," She looked to a man and woman. "You're with me."

They both walked up and got on both sides of her, while Winter picked out another from the remaining six to split up into two teams. "Be sure to contact me as soon as you spot any of these… Animals. Group B, you're to go to the northwest, Group C, to the southeast." The Atlas Specialist looked to the two soldiers she picked to go with her. "You two will accompany me to the northeast, and if needed, I'll have a few of the Knights to any location as soon as possible."

"Yes, Ma'am." The two soldiers respectfully said as they started following Winter to their quadrant of the island they were on.

Winter knew that a more open area in the middle of the island would be best searched with more than three people, so she'd converge there if none of the others found any sightings of the abnormal animals she was tasked to investigate.

" _Whether I like it or not, this is still something I've sworn myself to do. Still, I mustn't forget, any threat is a threat."_

"Ma'am, if I may ask, what kind of threat do these creatures hold? It sounds like they are just larger animals." One of the soldiers with her stated, not finding it that worrisome like Winter had.

"It's unusual, but even so, we can't ignore this. Larger animals like Elephants have never been much of a threat, but the thought of a house sized Lion could be, so we can't underestimate what these creatures are." Winter explained as she walked along the grass of the island she was on.

The one who asked stayed quiet, only nodding as he knew asking more questions would result in a similar answer. With that in mind, the two soldiers Winter brought along with her were more on the alert, after hearing the idea of a house sized Lion possibly being something to fight.

The Atlas Specialist, while focused on the mission, did wonder however how her little sister was doing, especially after what she learned days ago.

* * *

"Remind me again on how durable that ribbon is on your weapon…" Yang remarked after having tried out a team attack with Blake, which consisted of her grabbing the ribbon from Gambol Shroud for Blake to swing her around.

"Enough is the answer." Blake said, teasing Yang a bit, who was a bit dumbfounded at how she was able to be swung around for a punch with the ribbon on Blake's weapon.

"Huh… Well okay. Just saying, don't blame me if it ends up getting torn up if we use that attack again." Yang noted.

Blake shrugged. "Again, it's durable enough to last."

Weiss walked over, still grimacing the idea of being flung by her partner. "I'm honestly surprised you two were okay doing that sort of attack. It doesn't seem… All too safe in my opinion."

Yang chuckled and patted her friend on the back a few times. "Sometimes you gotta take risks for a pretty good reward, and I know the moment I slam my fist into the unlucky Grimm or moron who's in the way, they'll end up knocked out or even dead… Uh, hopefully not dead if they're not a Grimm that is."

The white haired girl rolled her eyes. "Yes, Yang, we all needed that clarification."

"Hey, you never know. Some people can take things way out of context sometimes." Yang countered, and Weiss shrugged. "Anyways, you wanna work on a team attack with me, Ice Wolf?"

Weiss looked over her shoulder, seeing Ruby thinking more about another team attack she and her could do, and just the thought of the other suggestion she had made her shudder. "Yes… Right now, before your sister ends up trying something even more dangerous."

"Heh, you know you'll have to work on something with her again at some point, Weissy, but sure, I'll keep you safe from one of Ruby's plans for the time being." Yang joked.

Blake simply let out a smile as she walked past the two, feeling like she and Ruby should maybe try out a team attack as well. "Still thinking of ways to frighten Weiss?" She asked her team leader as she got to her.

"Hmm?" Ruby was sat down at the moment, so she looked up to see it was Blake asking her that question. "Oh, hey, Blake… Uh, I'm not trying to scare Weiss. What made you get that impression?"

"Seeing as you keep telling her how great it would be to throw her at Grimm to pounce on." Blake chuckled as she sat next to the rose girl.

"Oh… Huh, I guess I just thought it would be a really strong attack." Ruby commented as she looked over at Weiss and Yang, both seemingly discussing their potential team attack, though at that moment, Weiss had recoiled back from something Yang suggested, and Ruby giggled a little. "I guess I probably should tone down the momentum of attacks."

"Yeah, might be a good idea." Blake agreed with a smile.

Ruby rubbed the back of her head, and even with how her other attack idea seemed to be one to not be done, she was still happy. "I'll come up with something safer for everyone. Gotta look after the team I'm leading after all."

While her words were said in that pure innocent sort of way, Ruby was serious about it. She wanted to be a good leader, and making sure her team was safe was just another job she had to take upon herself to commit to.

"Hmm. Try not to worry too much about us too, Ruby. We look out for you just as much as you feel you should look out for us." Blake reminded.

Ruby continued keeping that happy expression on her face as she nodded to agree. "I know, trust me, I do, but I meant what I said." She gave the cat Faunus a reassuring look. "I'm gonna make sure you guys can always count on me, no matter what."

Knowing Ruby was two years younger than everyone else was impressive to Blake, and hearing her continue to speak in such a way was just more evidence that she really could count on Ruby, just as much as Yang or Weiss. "I can't say I'm worried then, Ruby." She let out a smile. "Thank you."

"Huh? What are you saying thanks for?" Ruby asked.

Blake stood up and pulled Gambol Shroud out. "Being a good leader. Now how about we work on a team attack of our own?"

Ruby's eyes shined and she jumped up. "Right!"

* * *

It was a long day for the team, but they managed to get a good bit of their team attack training done, and at the moment Zwei was following them back to the dorm. "Remind me to come up with how some of these team attacks go…" Weiss commented.

"What? I'd say our team attack was pretty good." Yang remarked, while Weiss rolled her eyes.

"I have to be able to jump away in time, or else you'll end up hitting me in the head, Xiao Long." Weiss complained, almost having been hit when she had used ice on the ground for Yang to punch into, so that the combined ice and fire would cause mist to surround the area.

"Eh, I know you can easily jump away before I land, and besides, I'm not an idiot, Weiss. I won't dive in until I know you're at a good distance." Yang assured, and Weiss knew she wouldn't lie about that, since she wasn't the kind to hurt her own friends.

"Hmph, fine, but I still don't get why you call it Freezerburn." Weiss said, her arms crossed as she gave Yang a questioning look.

Yang chuckled. "Really? Come on, Weiss. I know you're smart enough to get it."

"W-What do you mean? It sounds ridiculous is all…" Weiss blushed, feeling that she should get what Yang was going for.

"Freezer, you and the ice, Burn, me and the fire. Duh." Yang explained, and Weiss stopped in her tracks, feeling like she failed a simple math problem, so the other three looked behind them as they saw her defeated look.

Weiss hung her head in embarrassment. "Oh…"

Yang snickered a few times and walked back, wrapping an arm around her. "Hey, don't worry about it, Ice Wolf. I come up with some weird names sometimes. And besides, yours and Ruby's team attack name is even easier to get."

Ruby smiled, remembering the face Weiss had when she told her their team attack name was White Rose.

"S-Shut it…" Weiss grumbled as she was led back over to the team, and Zwei barked a few times, trying to brighten up Weiss' mood, so the embarrassed teen looked down and smiled. "Good boy." She leaned down and rubbed his ears, while Ruby was glad her girlfriend wasn't gonna be mopey for long.

As they got to their dorm though, they were greeted by Team JNPR. "Hey, guys." Ruby greeted, wondering why they were outside their dorm. "What are you doing out in the hall?"

Nora was the first to walk up, looking a little upset with something. "Um, can we talk with you guys for a bit…"

Team RWBY was honestly surprised by how Nora was speaking, seeing as she was always the energetic one in the group. "Yeah, sure. Everything okay?" Ruby asked.

Jaune rubbed the back of his head, while Ren looked equally as upset about something. "It might be best to talk about it in our room if that's okay with you."

"Okay." Ruby watched as Jaune used his scroll to open the door, and when they walked inside with Team JNPR, Nora and Ren sat down on one of the beds.

Yang was the first to speak up. "Is everything really okay? You two don't look-."

"It's our home… Well, where we grew up I mean." Nora said in a sad tone, while Ren was just as distraught over some news they had heard. "It… Was called Kuroyuri."

"Was?" Weiss repeated as a question, fearing the worst as Nora nodded.

"Yeah… It's been abandoned for years, but we always like to keep up on it… Y'know, for memories." Nora sighed, but then she pulled her scroll out and extended it to Team RWBY.

Yang took the scroll and saw a an article about the town of Kuroyuri. "It's… Completely destroyed. Like, more than an abandoned village should look like."

"Apparently there were several large Grimm that ended up going through it, resulting in a battle with some hunters." Pyrrha explained, while the others felt bad for Nora and Ren. "We were thinking about maybe going there."

Blake's ears perked up at that. "Wouldn't that be too much of a risk? If Grimm were able to go through it and cause that much damage, then-."

"We'd make sure not to go in without knowing how many Grimm were around at the time. Once we know it's okay, then we can go into our village." Nora commented, as she held Ren's hand.

Jaune had to speak up for his team at that point. "We've all agreed to go together, and I thought about… Asking you guys if you could maybe come with us too. Just in case."

Weiss wasn't exactly sure about that, as it still seemed like a huge risk. "Jaune, I don't want to say no, but wouldn't it be better if you asked trained huntsmen and huntresses to help?"

Nora scoffed at that. "Like anyone would help with Kuroyuri…"

Ren sighed and squeezed her hand. "Nora, we already discussed this before." He looked to Weiss. "Kuroyuri has been abandoned for years. No one wants to retake the village, so we would go to it every year. Now that it's gotten more violent Grimm around, then we know we can't go alone."

Ruby felt bad for the two, so she took a step forward, nodding to them. "If that's the case, I'll go with you too." She then looked to her team. "Weiss, Blake, Yang… I won't speak for you three here, since I won't ever force you to do something you don't want to do, but-."

"Hey, you don't gotta say another word, sis. I'm in." Yang assured, and looked to Nora and Ren. "You guys can count on us to keep you covered." Ren and Nora simply nodded, thankful to their friends.

"You know, we may get in trouble for going to a place that hasn't been secured… But I suppose if we're careful about this, there shouldn't be too much trouble, so I'll come with you all to make sure no one does anything stupid." Weiss said, earning a smile from her girlfriend.

The only one that hadn't said anything was Blake, but when Ruby looked to her, she sighed a bit. "I can't exactly say I'm thrilled about going to a village with the chance of running into much stronger Grimm. Still, I'll go with you all too. Just to add to the backup." Secretly she wanted to go to make sure Yang wasn't going to get hurt.

"Then it's settled! Team RWBY is going to be your backup!" Ruby cheered, and Zwei barked happily, while Team JNPR was grateful to them.

* * *

 **Winter is on the move, and I was really wanting to have the town of Kuroyuri in, so with that in mind, the team has another mission to go on, in a way. A personal one, but a mission nonetheless.**

 **To JJ- Yeah, Jacques is the kind of person who wants to live above the rules with his money and influence, even if it affects his family in the process. Glad you noticed the ice sculpture moment. Their team attacks will hopefully come into play soon enough.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 85. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 86.**


	86. Calling Home

**Here's chapter 86, everyone.**

* * *

Blake wasn't too confident with the team going with JNPR to Kuroyuri, but even so, she already promised she would, and the fact that Yang was going made her want to go even more so, seeing as she didn't want the blonde to risk her life there. At the moment she was out in the courtyard, wanting to take a relaxing day for herself, and the team respected her privacy.

" _Maybe now would be a good time to call them."_

Her scroll was out in an instant, and Blake knew how the call would end up being like, so she went to her contacts, which she sadly didn't have many to begin with, since she got rid of her old scroll when she left the White Fang.

Luckily she remembered their numbers by heart, and as she started calling the two people she should have called long ago.

She took a deep breath and waited for them to answer. After a few moments, she heard the voice of her Mother on the other line. "Hello?" Kali had no idea who it was, seeing as it was a new scroll Blake had gotten, but she was too afraid to answer. "Hello?"

"H-Hi… M-Mom." Blake couldn't bring herself to switch on the video call, as she heard a gasp from her mother.

"BLAKE?! Oh my goodness, please tell me it's really you!" Kali cried out, and Blake felt her heart breaking from how desperate her mother sounded, but when she didn't say anything for a few second, Kali spoke up again. "Please, my baby girl… Please tell me I'm not dreaming."

Again, hearing her Mother say that was painful, since she felt that she had caused her to feel that way in the first place. "Yes… Mom, I'm sorry… I'm so sorry for leaving…"

"Turn on the video feed… Please, Blake." Kali begged, and Blake couldn't say no, as she switched the call to video, and Kali gasped when she saw her. "It's really you… Ghira! Come over here!" The fact that her dad was going to see her made her almost drop the scroll, so she pressed it against herself, not wanting her dad to see. "Blake? What are you doing? I can't see you."

The younger cat Faunus bit her lip and gently moved the scroll off herself, seeing her Mother was on the verge of tears. "I-I can't let dad see me like this… Please, just tell him I'm okay, and I'm not with the White Fang anymore…"

It was so fast, but hearing her daughter wasn't in the White Fang anymore made Kali sigh in relief. "Blake… You have to come back home. Your Father and I have been worried sick about you."

"You shouldn't," Blake mumbled, but Kali could hear that as her ears drooped a little. "I ran away, ran from the two people who knew that what I'd do would end up coming back to bite me… I can't go back now."

"Of course you can! Do you think we haven't wanted you home?" Kali questioned, and Blake lowering her head was an answer Kali could understand. "Blake, look at me…" As the younger cat Faunus lifted her head up, she saw her Mother smiling, with tears falling down her face. "Seeing you… My baby girl, you're okay… Thank goodness."

Blake started tearing up as well, since she expected her Mother to chastise her about running away, but all she got was how Kali truly felt. Relieved and happy to see her daughter safe and sound.

"I was so scared, Blake. I-I thought something terrible had happened to you, and Ghira… Your Father was looking all over the kingdoms for you." Blake's eyes widened since she didn't know her Father was looking through kingdoms, just for her.

"H-He did that?" Blake couldn't believe it, and Kali simply nodded, her smile and tears not stopping for anything. "Mom… I'm so sorry. I promise, I'll tell you and Dad everything when I can, but-."

Before she could continue, Ghira walked into the room and Kali motioned for him to come over. "Kali, is something wro…" He stopped himself when he looked over at Kali's scroll, seeing his daughter's face on a video feed. "Blake…"

Blake lowered her head for just a moment, but she couldn't hide herself any longer as she lifted her head up to show him it was really her. "Hey, Dad…"

Ghira slowly walked over, kneeling down next to his wife as she handed him the scroll. He held it gently in his hands as he examined his daughter's face, hoping it wasn't a dream. "You're really there…"

Ashamed. It's how Blake felt yet again with how even her parents couldn't believe they were talking with her at first. "Dad, I made a mistake, and I wish I could take it back, but-."

"I'm so sorry, Blake…" Ghira said, and Blake was taken aback, not sure why her Father would ever apologize to her, especially since she felt like she should be the one saying sorry more than anyone. "I should have found you long ago…"

"Dad… Dad, you can't say that for what I did! I joined…" She stopped to see if anyone was around, and when she knew she was good to talk, she continued in a quieter tone. "I joined the White Fang as my own decision… I ran away as my own decision. You should be furious with me."

"And why would I when I've wanted nothing but for you to come back home?" Ghira countered, while Blake bit her lip. "I'm upset, yes, but that can be discussed, when you come home."

"Home? I-I can't go back to Menagerie… I live at-." She decided not to continue, since she didn't want her parents to feel the need to drag her home themselves if they knew where she was.

"You live where?" Ghira questioned, and when his daughter didn't answer, he sighed. "I see. You don't want us to know…"

Blake was feeling even more nervous at that point. "Dad I-."

Ghira shook his head. "I need to know. I need to understand why you left home. You're talking to us now, and here we are, wanting you to come back, so tell me, why can't you? Why join the White Fang after I told you what happened when I stepped down…"

Kali stepped in at that point. "That's enough, Ghira. She can tell us when she's ready." She then looked back at the screen, letting out a comforting smile. "Blake, you know that we only want to see you again, so… If there's any way you can at least come over for a day-."

"Okay." Blake didn't want to deny them that much, and she sniffled while wiping her eyes a bit. "One day, but I can't for some time." They gave her questioning looks. "I promised to help a few people I know… I can't go until that's done."

"Something else you can't tell us?" Ghira asked, and Kali slapped his arm, not wanting him to stress their daughter out.

"Leave her be, Ghira." Her smile was back as she wanted Blake to feel at ease. "Look, I won't lie, sweetie. I have a lot of questions, but I can wait a little longer. Just as long as you promise to call us again soon."

Blake hearing her Mother wanting her to call again was just what she needed to hear, as more tears threatened to continue falling. "O-Okay, Mom… I promise I will."

Kali was happy for that, and she placed her hand on her chest. "Thank you, sweetie… You know we love you so much. We're so happy that you called us."

"I-I love you too, Mom." Blake blinked a few tears away, as her dad had his arm wrapped around her Mother. "Dad, I-."

"I know… I love you too." Ghira let out a smile of his own, hoping that his daughter would be able to come home soon. "And as long as you promise you'll be safe, wherever you are, then I won't pressure you any more than I have."

Blake looked to Beacon, knowing she was safe with the people she's grown close to. "I know I'll be safe here, but even so, I won't lie to you both about what I'm helping with." She took a breath. "There was a village completely run down, well, it was run down already, but even more so now… Two people I know want to go there and I promised to go just in case any Grimm shows up."

Kali tensed up at that, while Ghira didn't look happy. "Exactly why do YOU have to go with them? This is too dangerous from just the sound of it, Blake."

"I know that. I was one of the few to mention that it's dangerous…" Blake said as she wiped the last of her tears away. "But I know someone else who's going, and I don't want them getting hurt."

With that in mind, Kali knew Blake wouldn't be convinced to not go. "Be safe, promise us that…"

Both Ghira and Blake looked to Kali, as she spoke softly with her request. "Mom… Okay, I'll be as safe as I can be, and… And then I'll come home."

Kali's ears perked up and she squeezed her husband's arm, not caring that a tear fell down her cheek. "I'll make sure to make your favorite breakfast when you get here…" Her voice cracked, as she truly wanted to hold her daughter in her arms again.

Blake couldn't continue, as she was shaking a bit, so she nodded. "O-Okay… I love you, Mom. I love you, Dad. I promise to call you soon." They both nodded, sending their love as she ended the call and lowered her arms, taking a moment to realize what she had just done.

Remembering how Weiss told her to call them was something she wanted to thank the white haired girl for, so she put her scroll away and walked towards the school.

* * *

Qrow wasn't all that happy with what he had to do, which was guard the warehouse's front entrance. "You know, maybe having Tai stand out here would've been the better choice… Just throwing that out there." He said over his ear piece.

"Quit your complaining. We all have things to do, so just count yourself lucky that you only have to stand outside." Raven ordered, as she was with Lazuria.

The younger of the twins grumbled something and Raven clearly ignored him, while Lazuria was feeling a little shaken up. "Maybe it's best that I don't stay here… If they end up tracking me to this place, it won't be as safe any more."

"The point of them tracking you is for us to be here to ambush them, so try not to worry too much. I don't need you running off on us when we've waited this long already." Raven remarked.

Lazuria sighed, wishing she could simply rid herself of her cursed life. "Alright… Um, I don't know if this is something I should ask, but… How is Willow? I haven't seen her in some time…"

Raven knew she meant that the woman hadn't seen Willow from afar in awhile. "Still an idiot at times," Lazuria scowled at her for that, but Raven continued. "I can see that she's getting better though… I respect her for that."

"You should. She's not someone you should underestimate." Lazuria defended her old friend.

"Hmm." Raven hummed, not letting that get to her, while she looked over at Tai. "Tai, do you think Summer will be back here soon?"

Tai looked up from where he was sitting. "Tomorrow at the earliest, and since we're getting closer to the possible time of those people to try and attack Lazuria, we should get to forming a route on where to follow."

"That'll be for when Summer shows up." Raven said. "She was always the best to come up with strategy in our old missions. As long as she hasn't lost her touch, I'll wait on her before we discuss anything."

Tai was happy that Raven still respected Summer as a huntress, so he simply nodded in response. "Right. For now, maybe we can let her go into the city. We'd be with her, and no way would those Relentless guys target her when civilians are around."

"We can't know that for sure, and besides," Raven looked to Lazuria. "It's if she wants to take that kind of risk."

Lazuria took a moment to think about it, remembering the one day that she asked Raven to meet up with her for a 'normal' day she could have. "Honestly… I would like to. Just being out there again… Not worrying about someone killing me…"

"If that's what you want." Raven got up and grabbed her sword from a table as she turned her earpiece back on. "Qrow, Tai and I will be in town with her, so keep this place locked down."

"Huh? The hell you going into town for? You made me guard this place just to have her-." Raven turned her earpiece off, and Tai snickered at that, since he knew Qrow would complain when they would get outside.

Lazuria was a little nervous, even though she wanted to go out and enjoy life for once, but she couldn't be afraid forever. She stood up and reached for her mask, but then shook her head, choosing to leave it behind, as that wasn't going to help her live out a 'normal' day.

Raven took note of that and watched as the woman walked over to the front entrance, so she sighed and followed her, knowing that even with her screwed up life, she could still be saved.

* * *

 **It's still fun working with several characters and their stories within this story. It's not all going to be about one person, and that's why I enjoy writing it. Any thoughts on Blake's call with her parents? Did it feel believable?**

 **To JJ- Kuroyuri is going to be used for a certain plan, and I left subtle hints onto what's really going on there. Winter is simply following orders, so she's going to do what she can to find out what was spotted in Anima. As for how the General got his info, well, again, subtle hints here and there.**

 **To the guest on chapter 49- Y'know, that honestly fits really well. If you need a reminder of what you said, it was Weiss being a Knight of the hunt. As a joke, but honestly I liked it.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 86. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 87.**


	87. Another Held Back Secret

**Here's chapter 87, everyone.**

* * *

"Ruby… I was thinking about what we promised to help Ren and Nora with, and honestly, it's still a little risky. So have you thought about maybe asking your Mother to possibly help us?" Weiss asked as she and Ruby were in the dorm room at the time.

"Oh! Yeah that might be a good idea… Huh, why didn't I think of that before?" Ruby asked herself while she got her scroll out to ask her mom to come over. "Here's hoping she doesn't try to get us to not go." Before she could send the message, Yang jumped over and snatched the scroll from her sister's hands. "W-What… Yang?! Why did you-."

"Think about what you just said, sis." Yang said while holding the scroll above her. "Mom will probably make us not go, and then Team JNPR won't have us there for backup. Can't risk that."

Weiss sighed in response. "I'm not sure going behind her back would be right, Yang. I was honestly thinking of telling my Mother about it too."

"Trust me, I don't like not telling mom about this, but I don't really like the idea of JNPR going out there by themselves either, so we gotta be able to help without getting anyone else involved." Yang remarked.

Ruby crossed her arms, taking a moment to think of something. "Hmm, well we definitely can't ask Ozpin, cause he'll just deny us access to the airships… Wait, will we be able to have someone fly us?"

Weiss bit her lip, sighing to herself. "I may have someone that can help, but it would be going behind my Mother's back if we aren't telling anyone about this." She felt like a hypocrite, since her Mother just literally told her something she's kept from her for over seventeen years.

"It's not like we're doing anything illegal, and besides, this is to help out our friends, Ice Wolf, so whoever it is that could help-." Yang was stopped not a moment later.

"Klein. He's more than just my family's butler…" Weiss knew that getting Klein involved meant he'd also have to keep her Mother from knowing, and that itself could be problematic. "Without even being asked, Klein learned how to pilot an airship, in case Mother ever really needed him for it."

"Huh, I had no idea, but how come he hasn't flown our parents in before?" Yang asked.

"My Father. While Klein can pilot an airship, his job would be on the line if my Father learned that he wasn't working in our home." Weiss explained.

"Damn, well what makes this any different to get him to come over?" Yang questioned.

Weiss pulled her scroll out and remembered that her Mother would be returning to Atlas in a few hours. "I knew we'd need an airship the moment we promised to help, so I asked Klein about when my Father would be going on one of his business trips. Luckily for us, that will be during the weekend, so the best time will be then if we don't want anyone from the school to know we're using an airship."

Ruby spoke up at that point. "That's good, but where is he going to get an airship from?"

The white haired teen chuckled a little. "Ruby, you forget that my family is very wealthy. Father makes sure to have several airships ready for anything, so all Klein will need to do is use one of those."

"Won't your mom know he's gone?" Yang asked.

Weiss sighed. "That's the biggest problem to be honest. Convincing Klein to not tell Mother about why he'll be gone for a day or two."

Ruby felt bad about that, since she was the one to first speak up on helping Ren and Nora. "M-Maybe we can find another way to get an airship and a pilot. I don't want you doing something you don't want to do for this, Weiss."

That got Weiss to chuckle lightly. "It's okay, Ruby. Klein is honestly the best person for this, and as long as we're safe, then hopefully our parents won't be too angry with us for doing this."

"Ice Wolf is right, and remember what I said, if anyone stops us from going, then JNPR will have to figure out how to get there themselves, and they won't have us there for backup." Yang reminded.

Hearing both Weiss and Yang's reasons, Ruby figured it was best not to stress it too much, so she nodded and Yang handed her scroll back. "Right, well I'll let Jaune know that we can go on the weekend once you ask Klein for help."

"Okay, I'll give him a call now outside. I'd rather not have my Mother or your mom to be around in case they hear me, so I'll be outside." Weiss said as she got up with her scroll in hand.

After leaving the dorm, she began to make her way outside, but when she turned a corner in the hallway, she noticed Blake was walking over. "Blake, I thought you'd still be outside."

The cat Faunus was glad she ran into her teammate, and she simply shrugged. "I got enough time to myself. Honestly I'm glad I ran into you, since I need to talk to you."

"Oh, well I was actually about to go outside myself. You wouldn't mind going back out would you?" Weiss asked while Blake just nodded, so both girls started heading outside.

* * *

"Exactly what is it you'd want to do in the first place around here?" Raven asked Lazuria as she was walking with her through the town, while Tai was keeping his distance, while also keeping watch for anything strange.

"Honestly? I would like to buy clothes… It's not that I like shopping, but the feeling of getting something to wear that could last longer than a month would be nice." Lazuria sadly answered.

Raven shrugged. "Fine, but don't expect me to buy anything here."

"I wasn't. Besides, I already told you I don't care much for shopping. I just want anything at this point." Lazuria and Raven eventually found a place for her to buy clothes, and the Shifter was sighing to herself. "There is… A lot."

"It's a clothes store. Of course there's going to be a lot of clothes here." Raven said in a deadpanned tone.

Lazuria rolled her eyes and didn't even come up with a retort as she started looking for something she could wear. Raven groaned a little, since she didn't care to shop that long, while Lazuria could only hope to find one piece of clothing she could actually enjoy wearing.

All the while, Tai was continuing to keep an eye out for anyone who might look suspicious. And as he kept on looking around, he noticed he received a message on his scroll. The blonde huntsman read the message from his wife and was glad to know she'd arrive back in Atlas in a day.

"Now all we need is to just wait then." Tai said to himself, as he hoped their mission would end up not taking as long as he thought, mostly for Lazuria to be able to live a normal life again, as well as possibly seeing Weiss.

Inside the clothes store, Raven was leaning up against a wall, wishing Lazuria would hurry up and pick something. "How long are you going to take in this place?"

"Shut it. I'm just trying to find something tasteful too, so if you don't want to wait in here, then go outside and leave me be." Lazuria suggested, as she actually let out a smile, since she was enjoying the fact that she could feel how a 'normal' day was.

Raven shook her head, not caring much about it, and with Tai outside, she felt it was best to stay inside. "Just don't make me wait an hour…"

"Uh huh." Lazuria hummed and continued pulling out dresses from the clothes racks, while Raven observed her, feeling like she shouldn't complain too much, since the woman really did need to live again.

" _I'll have to tolerate this for a bit longer…"_

* * *

Weiss wondered why Blake wanted to talk to her about, and as they got out in the courtyard, Blake felt it was a good enough spot to talk at. "Sorry to bother you about this, but I just wanted to say thank you."

"Huh?" Weiss wasn't sure exactly what the cat Faunus was thanking her for.

"That day you talked to me. About my parents. I called them." Blake admitted, and Weiss was pleasantly surprised, smiling for her friend.

"That's great, Blake. So how were they?" Weiss asked.

Blake's ears flattened against her head. "My mom was crying… And my dad asked me a lot about why I left, but I told them as much as I could."

Weiss figured one of Blake's parents would cry after not seeing her for a long time. "It makes sense, but now they know you're okay."

"Yeah… But… There's a lot with what I told them that you should know too." Blake said, and Weiss simply waited on her to continue. "Weiss, back when we met, I wasn't the kindest to you, and I'm still sorry for how I reacted."

Before she could continue, Weiss spoke up. "Why are you bringing this up now? You know we already talked a lot about that already, Blake. I've forgiven you, so-."

"You still don't know the real reason why I acted the way I did, and it has a lot to do with why I ran away from home in the first place." Blake said in a somber tone, hating what she was about to tell her.

"What exactly do you mean? What would I have to do with you running away?" Weiss inquired.

"Not you. It's… Your family. Weiss, you know I'm a Faunus, and… Because of that I never liked what your Father does with his company, and how he treats Faunus." Weiss had a saddened expression, since it was true. "A lot of people never treated my kind the way they should, so… I left home to be apart of a group that could make a difference. At least that's what I thought they'd do…"

"W-What group?" The stutter in Weiss' voice was a clear sign that she had an idea of who Blake was talking about.

"T-The White Fang…" When the cat Faunus said that, Weiss tensed up a bit and took a step back. "I know… I know you hate that I kept this from you, but you need to understand that my things weren't as bad as-."

"Stop… I don't want to hear this." Weiss turned around and started walking away.

Blake's eyes widened as she tried to run over. "W-Weiss, I know you're upset, but-."

Weiss spun around on her heels and glared at Blake. "My Mother just told me something she's kept from me for years, now here you are, telling me you used to be…" She stopped herself, since she didn't want to yell that out, and basically out Blake as an ex-White Fang member. "I can't believe you'd keep this from us!"

The cat Faunus' ears drooped. "I-I told Yang already, but telling you or Ruby, I just never found a good time to."

"So now? Now that I've just had to learn that my life isn't what I thought it was, now you feel it's best to tell me?" Weiss growled, and while she'd usually try to calm herself down, but in that moment she couldn't.

Blake remained quiet for a few moments as she hung her head, feeling ashamed. "I didn't tell you so that this wouldn't happen… After we settled things, I didn't want either of us to end up fighting again."

"Hmph! Well clearly you weren't trying to keep that from happening hard enough." Weiss crossed her arms and turned away from Blake, but in the back of her head, she too knew that she was about to keep something from her mom.

"I guess not…" Blake said in a somber tone. "I'm sorry."

"Everyone is always sorry…" Weiss said in the same tone, as she felt like crying, but she held it in, feeling like others in her life would continue to keep things from her. "I hoped that after what my Mother told me… That I could just move on and keep doing what I'm doing, but now you drop this on me… How am I supposed to feel?"

Blake thought about what to say and sighed. "I can't tell you how to feel, Weiss. If you're angry with me, then I understand why, but… You should still know that I never wanted the White Fang to become what they are today."

Weiss took in what she said, and as she thought more about Blake, she realized that the cat Faunus did in fact leave the White Fang, so she turned around and had a hurt expression on her face. "You left, but you still had to take part in what they did."

"Yes, I was, but that doesn't mean I don't want things to change in this world, Weiss." Blake's ears twitched and Weiss noticed the bow twitching with them. "If anyone like Cardin saw my ears, then he'd treat me just like your Father treats my kind. I couldn't sit at home doing nothing about that."

"But why with those monsters… Why with the people who resort to fear and violence? There are better ways." Weiss countered.

Blake shook her head. "Weiss, you've lived on the other side. Watching the world through the eyes of a human. My Father was the one in charge of the old White Fang," Weiss' eyes widened at that. "Yes, he really was, and back then, we never got anywhere in the world. Just a small island to shut us up…"

Weiss was silent, not knowing how to respond.

"I don't regret what I fight for, but I do regret leaving home and being apart of them. They make things worse, and I wish there was something I could say to prove to you that I'd never go back to them." Blake said, while Weiss looked down.

"I-I just… I wish you would have told me, told all of us sooner." Weiss bit her lip and lifted her head up. "Keeping secrets, we all tend to do that… I'm even doing that now."

"What do you mean?" Blake inquired.

Weiss sighed. "It's about Kuroyuri."

* * *

 **Update time. I'll be going to RTX this year, so this story may go on a bit of a break till I get back home. If it does get updated, it's because I'll try to use my phone while I'm over there to post chapters.**

 **As for the story, sorry if some things are repeated, like Blake telling them about her past with the White Fang, but since it's pretty important information to know, I want to actually write how they'll react to knowing.**

 **To JJ- Well then I'm glad for how I wrote out that scene. They're both characters who I wanted to have in since as you said, not many use them that much. Besides that, I'm also enjoying the Raven and Qrow moments, since they're both easily able to annoy each other.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 87. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 88.**


	88. Asking For Help

**Here's chapter 88, everyone.**

* * *

"Kuroyuri? What about it?" Blake asked as Weiss held her scroll a little tighter.

"I know of a way we can go there without involving anyone from Beacon, since Yang pointed out that if someone tries to stop us from going, JNPR won't be able to have us there for backup." Weiss explained.

Blake wasn't completely following at that point, seeing as she wasn't informed that no one should be told of their little trip. "Who would stop us from just taking an airship?"

"Our parents, Ozpin, anyone that would have the common sense to keep eight first year students from going to a rundown town that was recently trampled by several Grimm." Weiss listed off. "We have to go there without anyone knowing, outside of us, and this one person who I know that can help us get there."

Hearing that made Blake groan. "I kind of already told my parents that I'd be going."

Weiss was surprised by that, but couldn't blame Blake there. "Oh… I guess that isn't too bad though. Seeing as it doesn't sound like they'd stop you."

"They won't, but I promised them I'd be careful, so if even for a second I feel like we all need to run, I'll drag you all away myself if I have to." Blake stated.

"You're not the only one who would do that." Weiss agreed, but she still looked a little upset with what Blake told her. "Look, we can talk more about this later… I still need to speak with the person who can help us get there… And… You, I just want to know you'll tell Ruby what you told me."

Blake nodded. "I will, and Weiss, about what I said," She took a breath. "I want you to know I have no intentions of ever going back to them. It was a mistake and-."

"Enough, Blake." Weiss ordered. "I'm still not happy that you kept this from us, but I have no reason to believe you'd join those people again."

"You don't?" Weiss shook her head at the question.

"Clearly not, seeing as I'm not about to report you for this," Weiss explained. "But that doesn't mean I'm ready to look past this either. You were still with them, and… And I don't know if you did things that directly affected my family, but now isn't the time to talk about this."

Blake's ears drooped, and she knew Weiss was right. They had to prepare themselves for their trip to Kuroyuri. "Okay… I'll find a good time to tell Ruby too. I promise."

Weiss nodded and walked past her. "Alright… I'll be making that call now." She walked far enough away from Blake to make the call in privacy.

Not a moment later, Blake's saddened expression was back and she went back inside of the school.

"The White Fang…" Weiss clenched her fist, more so hurt that another person in her life had kept something that important from her, though that anger subsided when she realized what she was about to do, so she let out a somber chuckle. "I'm such a hypocrite…"

* * *

Willow was sighing to herself as she was getting ready to leave, and with Summer with her, the Blacksmith knew her friend was a little distressed about something. "Hey, you know you can talk to me about what's bugging you."

"There's a lot on my mind, Summer… From telling Weiss about her birth Mother, and how I just want my son to break away from his Father, and not to mention the deal I made with Raven." Willow groaned and laid down on her side, clutching the bed sheets. "I have no one else to blame but myself."

Summer sat next to her and rubbed her shoulder a few times. "Don't say that, silly. You're not the one who's causing any problems for your son, and you know that your little Snowflake is doing a lot better after you told her about Lazuria."

Willow sighed. "You know as well as I do, that I should've have been more attentive with how Jacques treats Whitley… And I put Weiss through so much pain after telling her."

"But now that she does know, she's happier. You know she loves you as her real Mother, and maybe if her birth Mother is out there, they can meet." Summer entertained the idea as she secretly hoped that Lazuria would be able to see her daughter.

Hearing that made Willow grip the bedsheets a little tighter. "I'd want nothing more than that, but…"

Summer felt terrible, since Willow was implying that Lazuria could be dead, so she rubbed her shoulder a few more times. "I know, but you can't give up hope, Willow. Just try to relax for a bit when you get home. Please?"

Willow sniffled and nodded a few times. "Okay…"

"Come on," Summer helped the white haired woman sit up in bed. "I know things are stressed right now, but you'll see that things will start looking up soon. And don't forget, you're doing really well with your training."

"Slowly," Willow downplayed her improvements, and Summer comically slapped the top of her head, making her yelp as she reached up with both hands to hold her head. "Summer Rose!"

The Blacksmith giggled a few times. "I seem to remember you doing that to me when I'd talk down about my own smithing work. So I was just returning the favor."

Willow grumbled under her breath, and rubbed the top of her head a few times. "You've made your point… But even so, I'm still nervous. I'm not entirely sure I can really disarm her."

"Don't start saying stuff like that now, or else you really won't be able to." Summer suggested.

"Hmm," Willow figured that Summer was right, and being negative would only keep her from growing. "I'll have to find time for my son though… I promised myself I'd spend more time with him."

Summer smiled. "Of course. You know that Raven may be a hardass at times, but this is your family after all, and she can't get in the way of that."

Willow let out a light chuckle. "You make it sound like she'd barge in and drag me away for training." When Summer said nothing for a few moments, Willow's eyes widened. "S-She wouldn't actually do that… Right?"

Not a moment later, Summer started laughing, and Willow blushed in embarrassment, as the Blacksmith was slapping the bed a few times. "You should've seen the look on your face! Oh man, if Raven actually did that!"

"SHUT UP AND LET ME FINISH PACKING!" Willow cried out while her friend continued to laugh.

* * *

Weiss finally brought herself to begin calling Klein, and after a few seconds of ringing, the butler answered. "Ah, Snowfl… I mean, Miss Schnee, It's good to hear from you. How are your studies?"

"Hello, Klein… Things at Beacon are going well, but there is something I need to ask of you. It's a big favor that… That I'd rather Mother not know about." Weiss requested.

"Your Mother? Miss Schnee, what is this about that your Mother can't know of?" Klein asked with a hint of worry in his voice.

Weiss let out a small smile, since she knew Klein knew about her birth Mother, but she'd save that for when he'd see her. "A few friends of mine have a problem. Their home, well, where they grew up has been rundown for several years, and recently it was even more destroyed by Grimm in the area."

"Miss Schnee, I don't like where this is going…" Klein said, hoping he wasn't right about his assumption of what she wanted.

"Klein, please, they want to go there. It's their old home, and since Grimm will more than likely still be there, I want to go along with them, and the rest of my team to make sure they'll be okay. It's why I called you… So that you can help fly us out there." Weiss pleaded.

"That's still extremely dangerous, even if you are training to be a huntress," Klein expressed his concern.

"Which is why I want to go in the first place. Ruby… You know her. We're… Together, we have been for some time, and she was the first to volunteer going," Weiss' smiled again at the thought of her girlfriend. "She didn't hesitate, Klein. In that moment, she showed that she really is fit to be a huntress. So I can't ignore this."

Klein took her words to heart, and remembered the days where as a child, Weiss would love talking about how she wanted to become a huntress to help people. "Snowflake…" He took a breath. "I can see going to Beacon was the right choice… Okay, I will do what I can to help."

Weiss placed her other hand on her heart and was thankful she had Klein in her life. "Thank you so much, Klein. And I'm sorry to ask you to keep this from Mother, but I know that she'll try to stop us if she knew."

"I don't like keeping things from her, but you've shown me how much you want to help your friends. Just tell me when you need me to get there." Klein said.

"When I asked you about Father's business trips, that was because of this reason now, so this weekend would be for the best." Weiss explained.

"Then I shall be there." Klein assured.

"That means a lot to me. And I promise while I'm there, I won't get into a battle we can't handle. I already told one of my friends that, and she said the same thing." Weiss said of Blake, still seeing her as a friend, even with what she told her.

Klein was relieved to hear that, since he still didn't want Weiss to end up hurt. "Good… And Snowflake, I just want you to know that I'm happy for you and young Miss Rose. She's always made you happy when she visited, and over your calls."

Weiss blushed a little, but still let out a small smile. "Thank you, Klein." She looked towards Beacon. "I need to start getting back inside, but I'll call you a day before you can come over."

"Very well. I shall see you soon, Miss Sch… Snowflake." With that, they ended the call and Weiss sighed happily at Klein being willing to help.

* * *

While Weiss had went out to speak with Klein, Ruby decided to speak with JNPR about the trip they'd be taking. "Thanks again for coming with us, Ruby." Nora was still feeling down, but she did let out a small smile when she said that.

"Hey, you don't need to thank me anymore. I know things will turn out fine, since we won't be dumb about dealing with any Grimm over there. And besides, initiation taught us that we can handle ourselves well enough."

Ren nodded. "There will be eight of us there, so handling more than the share we each were able to take on shouldn't be much of a problem. We do still need to remember that several hunters were involved with the battle at Kuroyuri. So be sure not to overstay a fight for too long."

Jaune was a little more nervous than the others, but the way Ren and Nora had approached him before about it, he didn't want to be the only one not helping. "We'll be safe about it. First we can send in our fastest, that way they can get out fast enough before any Grimm show up."

Pyrrha smiled, proud of her partner for choosing to help his team. "That will work, since Nora can use her weapon to cover us as well."

"Yeah! I'll take out anything that might chase you guys!" Nora's enthusiasm was back to normal at that point, and the others were glad to see that, while Ruby was thinking how her own team would fare in their little trip.

"That'll be the best time for us to leave if we're having to run then." Jaune said, while he noticed Ruby was lost in thought. "Ruby, did you hear?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah I heard you. Um, I'm gonna go see if Weiss is back yet. She's working on getting us a ride out there." Ruby told them, and they were actually surprised Weiss would know someone that could help bring them out there.

"Who's she got in mind?" Nora asked.

Ruby smiled. "It's her butler. He's really nice, and his eyes do this cool thing where they change based on his personality."

Pyrrha found that intriguing. "That must be his semblance."

"We're not entirely sure to be honest, but I don't really question it since it's just way funnier watching him change how he acts on the spot." Ruby said, internally laughing at a few memories of the times she'd visit Weiss with her family.

"How he's going to help us exactly?" Jaune asked.

"He's actually learned how to pilot an airship, so he's gonna be getting us there and back." Ruby explained, and the team seemed content with that, so after they talked about it a bit more, Ruby felt it was time to check on her own team and left the room.

As she did, she got her scroll out and sent a message to Weiss, asking her if she was done speaking with Klein about being their pilot. After waiting a bit, she got a message in return.

" **Yes I spoke with Klein already. He's agreed to take us, but I need to talk with you, Ruby. It's important."**

Seeing that made the rose girl pocket her scroll and take off, wanting to get to her girlfriend fast, hoping she was okay.

* * *

 **I'm back from RTX, and while I would like to talk about what I saw there in terms of RWBY, I personally enjoyed more of walking around the convention itself. It was so awesome seeing all the merch and meeting people there that had similar interests. Other than that, I hope I can go again next year.**

 **Anyways, back to the story itself. I have more to work on for what the teams will be doing, and soon there is something that needed to happen for a while. Be on the lookout for what that means.**

 **To JJ-Yeah, that was the hardest part. Writing Blake admit who she used to be a bunch of times. It works better in a show sense, since more than likely the whole team would be there just like what happened in Volume 1. Problem is, I like to build things up for her to feel comfortable telling each person. As for what they're all doing, the risk of being punished is more than worth it to them as long as they help their friends out in the end.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 88. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 89.**


	89. Nothing To Hide

**Here's chapter 89, everyone.**

* * *

With The Relentless, Korrina had learned of a few more Shifters that had been marked. "Continue to search for more in that area of Anima. And inform me when the three that have been marked are taken care of." The woman with shoulder length auburn hair ordered over her ear piece.

"Yes, Ma'am." Korrina heard on the other end.

After speaking with one of her soldiers, she turned her ear piece off and turned around in her chair, looking out the large window, seeing several leaves flowing through the wind. She moved her sleeve up and grabbed her arm, squeezing the spot where the wolf head marking was, growling a bit.

"Damn monster… How can you continue to keep away from us?" Korrina asked aloud, and since her support system was only recently modified for her, she'd need time to adjust. "Anima has shown to house more of them… Maybe I should start there for myself."

While she would love to go after the Shifter she's marked, knowing that she was able to avoid death that long was a clear hint that she wouldn't go down so easily, meaning Korrina knew she'd have to get back to how she used to fight.

Several moments had gone by, and then she received a message on her communication device. She looked at what it said and clenched her fist with a smirk. "Hmm… Is that so? Good. That General is finally doing something with the warnings we gave him."

A knock on her door was heard, so she turned her chair to face it. "Enter."

Once the door was opened, it revealed a girl with black hair, wearing a ponytail with green highlights and she knelt on one knee, looking much more respecting than most other soldiers. "Master Korrina, I wish to request something of you."

"And what would that be?" Korrina questioned, waiting on one of her more trusted soldiers.

"I understand that you continue to deny me of this, but I still feel it may be time to send me in for finding that woman. At this point we've lost many of our hunters to her." The woman reminded, and Korrina crossed her arms.

"You know exactly why I refuse to send you, Mia. Risking your life with that animal-."

Mia Got up from where she was kneeling. "With all due respect, Ma'am, I'm tired of watching that monster continue to evade us. She has clearly proven she's too strong for the ones we continue to send after her." She brought her hand to her chest. "I've had enough experience to know I can handle this."

Korrina moved her arms down and folded her hands on her desk, giving her a questioning look. "And how do you know that, Mia? As you know, since she herself has also continued to evade us, that means she too has grown with experience in battle."

"That just means we can't keep throwing more and more of our hunters at her. She'll learn more and more, get stronger with each fight. If you send me in, then-." She gasped when Korrina's orange eyes bored into her, so she trembled a bit and knelt back down on one knee. "I-I apologize, Master Korrina…"

"Don't tell me what you think will come out of this, because you never do truly know Mia. You have continued doing well, hunting those monsters more so than many others here." Korrina reminded the trembling woman, who remained silent in fear. "She is just another to deal with, and while I would easily send you to hunt down one of those monsters, I simply can't risk your life against her."

"B-But what of the others?" Mia asked.

Korrina sighed. "I may keep my hunters away from that one for the time being… I believe I'm almost ready to deal with her myself."

Mia gasped again, looking up at her Master. "W-What? I know your support system has been modified, but-."

"Enough, Mia! I am not a fool. I won't rush in at the slightest chance of hunting her down. I'll get back to how I was, and then I'll deal with her myself." Korrina explained.

"I-I see… I'm sorry for wasting your time then, Ma'am." Mia got up and bowed once, turning away a moment later as she bit her lip in anger, hating how she was denied yet again.

"Mia, I don't believe I told you that you can leave my office yet…" Korrina warned, and Mia shivered as she froze and slowly turned back to face her. "You play an important role here, so I would hope you'd appreciate everything I've done for you."

"I do, Ma'am, but sometimes I can't just ignore something like this." Mia explained.

Korrina shook her head. "You'll understand soon enough. Now then, you may leave."

It was more than an order, so Mia bowed and turned to leave again. That time she wasn't ordered to stop, so once she left the room, she closed it behind her, still fearful of her Master, who spun her chair back around as she went back to looking out of her window.

* * *

Weiss was waiting by her favorite spot out in the courtyard, while sighing to herself since she was still pained by what Blake told her. She looked over at Beacon, seeing that the one girl she wanted to speak with was running over, so she let out a small smile. "Ruby."

Ruby ran up to Weiss, her rose petals scattering around. "Hey, I got your message. Is everything okay, Weiss?"

"I'm… I just wanted you here." Weiss pulled her into a hug, needing Ruby with her. "You promise you aren't hiding anything from me… Right?"

Hearing that confused Ruby, but she slowly wrapped her arms around her girlfriend. "Of course I'm not hiding anything from you, Weiss… Is this about what your mom told you?"

Weiss didn't want to out Blake, so she simply nodded, since technically what her Mother told her was part of it. "I'm sorry for bothering you with this." She pulled away and sighed again, while Ruby cupped her cheek, making her blush.

"You're not bothering me in the slightest." Ruby leaned in and gently kissed her, both girls holding the kiss for a few moments, until the rose girl slowly pulled away and helped Weiss sit under their favorite tree.

"I've just recently started to worry that… Maybe others around me have also kept something important from me." Weiss explained why she was feeling the way she was.

Ruby laid her head against Weiss' shoulder, looking up at Beacon. "I have nothing to hide, Weiss. Not one thing. And even if I did, I could never keep it from you." Her words were true and she reached for Weiss' hand, squeezing it gently.

Weiss sniffled. "I used to think that my Mother would never keep something like that from me either…"

The rose girl could hear the pain in her voice, so she squeezed her hand a bit tighter, shaking her head. "That's why I refuse to keep something that important from you… That day I saw how hurt you were, and I was so upset that I couldn't do anything about it." Weiss stayed silent. "I'd never want to hurt you. I just want to make you happy."

The white haired teen blushed, letting out a small smile. "You do make me happy… Especially when you continue proving that you were the best choice for team leader." She felt Ruby lifting her head off her shoulder, giving her a questioning look. "When you volunteered to help Ren and Nora… It was so selfless, and you were the first from our team to want to help."

"But you guys are helping too. How does that make me the best on being leader? I'm sure you would be a great leader!" Ruby encouraged.

Weiss let out a light chuckle. "I don't know about that, but I mean it. Huntresses and Huntsmen live their lives helping others. That was you, Ruby. You were the first one to speak up… I admire that about you a lot."

Ruby was blushing at that point, not used to being complimented that much. "O-Oh, well… I still say we're all huntress material. And… I really can't wait for us to graduate so we can become a real huntress team together."

"Honestly, I'm just as excited to get to that point in our lives. Being able to really do something out there… Sometimes I would fear my Father making me work for the company, but with Whitley being the heir, I suppose that worry eventually just went away." Weiss explained.

"Ew, gross, a desk job." Ruby playfully stuck her tongue out, feigning disgust as a way to lighten the mood for Weiss, which worked since she started giggling a bit, earning a smile from Ruby.

After she stopped giggling, Weiss continued to speak. "You do realize some people actually enjoy their desk jobs… But I will agree, it's not for me. I want to do more with my life, and this is the perfect way of really living."

"Protecting those who can't protect themselves. You know about the stories my mom would read to me when I was younger… I'm gonna be just like the heroes in those books, and that's why I can't wait to become a certified huntress, since in those stories, the hero wouldn't be alone." Ruby squeezed Weiss' hand again. "They'd have the person they care about with them too…"

Weiss felt Ruby leaning her head against her shoulder, and she playfully rolled her eyes at how cheesy her girlfriend was. "And who out of the two of us is the hero in this scenario, Ruby Rose?"

"Hehe, both of us, duh." Ruby retorted, and Weiss was happy to accept that answer, as she closed her eyes and enjoyed the peace and quiet she could have with the girl she loved.

"I love you, Ruby…" Weiss silently said, while Ruby didn't hesitate.

"I love you too, Weiss." Ruby was who Weiss needed, in more times than just when she was in pain.

* * *

Blake was walking the halls of Beacon, still feeling ashamed of herself. As she got to the dorm, she noticed the door was slightly opened, so she simply walked in to see Yang holding a dog treat above Zwei's head. "Come on, Zwei. I know you can jump higher than that."

The corgi barked as he got into a pouncing position, and as he jumped up, Yang was about the pull the treat away, but the dog managed to bite it fast enough.

Yang grinned when he landed back down with the treat in his teeth, deciding to pet him for his success. "Good job, boy." The blonde looked over to see who walked in, and when she saw it was her partner, her face lit up with joy. "Hey, Blake."

"H-Hey. I didn't think you'd still be here." Blake admitted.

"Hmm? Well I don't really got a lot else to do, and I'm not trying to train all the time y'know. Anyways, what's up? You enjoy your alone time outside?" Yang asked while Zwei was munching on his treat.

Blake didn't answer immediately as she saw on Weiss' bed. "I… I told Weiss… About how I used to be with the White Fang."

Yang's expression changed at that point, showing a bit of sympathy in her face. "Oh. How… How did she take it?"

The cat Faunus shook her head. "She wasn't happy… Honestly, I don't blame her. Finding out someone who you've been on a team with used to be part of the one group who has terrorized her family? It wasn't going to go any different…"

"Where is she?" Yang inquired.

"Outside in the courtyard I think. She mentioned that she was going to call someone to help us get to Kuroyuri." Blake answered.

Yang rubbed the back of her head a few times. "Well, hey, at least you did tell her. So now she knows that you'd never go back to them. It's a rough start, but that still counts as a start, Blake."

"It's not just that, Yang… She's upset because I kept it from her, just like how her Mother kept… Well, you already know." Blake explained.

The blonde brawler couldn't deny how hurt anyone would feel, learning back to back two harsh truths. "I can't blame her either then… But that doesn't mean she's gonna be upset forever. Seeing as you didn't come back here telling me she ran off from you is kinda proof enough that Weiss will ease up soon enough."

Blake couldn't argue with that, as she knew it herself that it would take some time before Weiss would trust her again, but just opening up and telling her the truth about what she did in her past was a start.

* * *

 **Sometimes partners just need to talk with one another to feel better. And a bit more was seen with The Relentless. Not much else to say for this chapter, though I can at least say this story is getting much closer to the triple digit mark in chapters. I'm happy that I can get to that point, as it's already been written out, so thank you for the continued support on this story.  
**

 **To JJ- Weiss was simply able to ask for comfort, something she's getting used to now that she knows Ruby wouldn't ignore her. And as for Summer and Willow, well, Summer knows Willow was being ridiculous about herself. As for the relationship between Weiss and Blake, as you can see, she still considers Blake a friend, but her trust in her has lessened.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 89. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 90.**


	90. Don't Assume The Worst

**Here's chapter 90, everyone.**

* * *

"I need to get going, sweetie." Willow said as she hugged her daughter, and Weiss returned the embrace for a few moments before pulling away. "About what we talked about-."

"Mom, it's fine… We've talked a lot about that already." Weiss noted. "I'd like to tell Whitley myself one day, so please promise me you won't tell him until I'm ready."

Willow knew why, so she simply nodded. "Of course, sweetie, but remember, no matter what, he's still your brother."

"I know," Weiss let out a smile, keeping the words her Mother told her close to her heart. "Blood is not what makes a family after all."

The moment she said that, Willow's eyes lit up and she pictured Lazuria again. She held her tears back nodded happily. "Exactly… I love you, sweetie."

"I love you too, mom. Have a safe flight." Weiss gave her one last hug and watched as her Mother made her way to the airship with Summer, but suddenly the blacksmith set her things down and ran over to Weiss.

"I forgot one thing, Snowflake," Summer pulled out a copy of Myrtenaster's schematics. "I wanted to give you this as a present. Think of it as a momento."

Weiss examined it and had a happy expression on her face as she accepted it. "Thank you, Mrs. Rose." Summer groaned since she continued to call her that, but she shrugged it off and gave her a pat on the shoulder before leaning in to whisper.

"And thank you for making Ruby happy." Summer said, making Weiss lightly blush as she ran back over to Willow, and the two women entered the airship together.

Ruby walked over, looking at the schematic for Myrtenaster. "Whoa, is that how my mom made your weapon?" Weiss let out a light chuckle and nodded. "That is awesome! I so need a copy of this one day."

Weiss raised an eyebrow. "And why would you need one exactly? You are not making a copy of Myrtenaster, you dork. I'd rather just have the one. It's special to me."

"S-Sorry. It's just I kinda take after my mom in wanting to work on weapons, and maybe if I learn more about yours, I can make improvements to it." Ruby explained.

"Maybe," Weiss responded while looking forward, watching the airship taking off, and she started to wave towards it, knowing her Mother was looking. Ruby did the same, as Blake and Yang walked over, with Yang keeping an arm around Blake, while waving them off as well.

"Well, there they go." Yang sighed. "Now we just gotta figure out what to tell mom when we head to Kuroyuri, since no way is she gonna not know we won't be at Beacon on the weekend."

Ruby scratched the back of her head a few times, having trouble thinking about the excuse to use. "Hmm, all I can think of is saying we're spending time with a friend… But I don't exactly know anyone out in Vale…"

Weiss blushed a little. "I suppose I can't exactly say I'm any better at being as social as we should be either… Um, do you two know anyone?" She asked Blake and Yang.

"A few people here and there, so maybe I can ask one of them." Yang answered, while Blake had simply shook her head, and Weiss figured after what she told her about the White Fang, that she'd have no one around Vale to go to.

"I guess that will have to do." Weiss said.

"Hey, it's not all that bad and… Holy crap I forgot about Zwei! Who's gonna look after him?" Yang asked, as the corgi barked happily, almost like he wanted to go with them, and Ruby raised an eyebrow.

"Huh? What do you mean? I thought we were gonna take him with us." When Ruby said that, Weiss and Yang didn't look too sure. "What?"

"Sis, I'm all up for bringing Zwei on a mission here and there, but remember what happened to that village. It got destroyed even more than it already was, and I don't know if Zwei being there will be for the best." Yang explained.

Weiss nodded in agreement. "Yang brings up a good point, Ruby. It would be a big risk to him if we brought him to that place. So maybe we should just find someone to take care of him while we're gone."

Blake looked down at the dog while the others were arguing about what to do with him, and he smiled up at the cat Faunus while wagging his tail, and Blake rolled her eyes, not wanting to get involved, but she did sigh a bit when he didn't stop looking at her, so she silently rubbed his ears a few times, hoping the others didn't see her doing that.

"I just say we let him stay with Klein in the airship. He's super nice after all, and that way he won't get in any trouble with the Grimm there." Ruby countered.

Weiss sighed. "That's putting more work on Klein, so I'll ask him before we go, but seeing as we aren't trying to get anyone else involved in this, we'll just have to stick with that idea for the time being."

Yang looked down at Zwei, and she sighed a bit. "Yeah, okay, but I am so not cleaning up after him if he's gotta go for a walk there."

Ruby giggled a bit and began rubbing Zwei's ears, since the corgi was happy he could come along with them, while Weiss simply smiled at the cute display in front of her.

* * *

Qrow was back in the warehouse, clearly bored as he looked over at Lazuria, holding something she bought from the store when she went with Raven. "So are you actually gonna wear that or keep it in your closet for a year before forgetting about it?"

Lazuria paid him no mind, as she simply looked at the dress. She smiled at it, not having bought the dress for herself. "Thank you again for going with me, Raven." The black haired huntress shrugged off the thanks.

"I didn't go for the clothes. Anyways, we'll need to remember where you should go when we spring the plan into action." Raven reminded.

A sigh escaped Lazuria's lips. "I remember, yes, but maybe for a moment I could enjoy this."

Raven raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? You already went out into town. What more did you want to even do?"

"This isn't for me. The dress," Lazuria held it tight and took a breath. "I was hoping to have one of you give this to my daughter… I… I want her to have something from me, just in case."

"Making comments like that won't help you," Raven stated, while Tai walked over and placed his hand on Lazuria's shoulder, as the Shifter tensed up, hoping the one person who could show her some form of sympathy would say something to lift her spirits.

"Don't worry. Me or Summer will bring it to her, and whatever you want us to say, be it from you or someone else entirely, we'll do it." Tai let out a reassuring smile, and Lazuria sniffled, nodding as she looked at the dress.

"Thank you." Lazuria placed the dress on her lap, but then looked to Raven. "Look, I already know that you're all helping me because I reached out to you… But I know these people more than anyone here. I still don't know if it's truly possible to escape them, so yes, I say things I shouldn't, but I'm being realistic."

"Being realistic doesn't mean you should just assume the worst all the time." Raven stated, trying to at least get the woman to not be as dramatic about her situation. "Besides, sounds to me like you aren't confident in us carrying out this mission."

"I've only known you people for a short time, and you yourselves had no idea who The Relentless were, so yes, I'm not completely confident about it. If that makes you angry, then I have nothing more to say." Lazuria said without looking at Raven.

The black haired huntress wasn't affected by that, as she shook her head and walked towards the entrance. "Tai, Qrow, keep an eye on her while I'm away."

"Y'know, Summer is the leader and not you. Can't give me an order all the time, sis." Qrow said while taking a drink from his flask, and Raven rolled her eyes.

"Fine. Do what you want." As she left the warehouse, Tai spoke up.

"Don't let her get to you." Tai suggested to Lazuria. "It's true that you don't know us enough to have the most confidence in us. Still, we'll handle them. Whether one by one, or dealing with their entire HQ."

"Hmm," Lazuria hummed, as his words may be helpful to hear, it wasn't going to completely raise her confidence in them just yet.

* * *

A few days had gone by, and with the team ready to head to the town of Kuroyuri, Klein too was ready to begin his flight to Beacon. "Snowflake, I have everything prepared for the trip. I will arrive at your school in several hours."

"Thank you again for this, Klein. Did Mother ask you anything about why you'll be away?" Weiss inquired.

"Your Mother is focusing on her training for the time being, so I simply asked if I can have a bit of vacation time." Klein's tone of voice changed to a more guilty sounding one. "Honestly I feel awful for lying to her, but I know you're doing this out of the kindness of your heart."

"Again, it's because Ruby showed me that I need to be able to help others. So I will." Weiss said proudly. "I'll let the others know that you'll be here soon… Oh, and Klein, um, Ruby wants to bring her dog Zwei with us. Is it okay if you look after him when we land?"

Klein actually remembered the corgi from visits and video calls, so he simply chuckled a little. "I see no problem with that, Snowflake. Just remember we will be on an airship, so someone will have to be sure to hold him down so he doesn't fall."

"I think Ruby and Yang will have that covered. And I know I said this already, but thank you again for all the help on this, Klein. It means a lot to us." Weiss smiled.

"Just as long as you keep your promise of staying safe while there, your thanks isn't necessary. I couldn't forgive myself if anything happened to you because I brought you there." Klein stated.

To Weiss, Jacques and her real birth Father weren't the ones who she looked to for a father. It was Klein. "Klein… I don't like lying. I hate that I'm even keeping this from Mother, so I won't say that things will go smoothly. We're going somewhere with a lot of Grimm, and I can only hope for the best case scenario."

"Then let me go with you after we land. I can-." Before he finished, Weiss interrupted.

"Klein, you've learned a lot for me and my family, but you and I both know that as a fighter, you haven't been trained to deal with Grimm. And… While you say that you couldn't forgive yourself if I got hurt, I say the same about you. So please. Stay in the airship with Zwei until we get back. I can at least promise we won't be long." Weiss said.

It wasn't great for his confidence, but Klein knew Weiss was right. He would get in the way if Grimm were to attack. "I suppose that would be for the best…"

"Thank you," Weiss was relieved that he wouldn't try to argue with her on that. "I need to let the others know. See you soon, Klein."

"Of course." Klein ended the call, while Weiss took a breath, hoping things would go well on the trip.

Weiss pocketed her scroll and gasped when she turned and ended up hitting her face against Yang's chest, and the blonde raised an eyebrow. "Uh… Y'know if Ruby sees this, she's gonna be a little more than pissed off."

Her eyes widened, so Weiss jumped back, wiping her face several times. "Ugh! You oaf! Why were you just standing behind me like that?!"

"I literally just walked in, so maybe you should've closed the door, Weissy." Yang smirked, while Weiss was blushing heavily from having run into her boobs like that. "Caught the tail end of your call too. So, we almost good to go?"

Weiss mumbled something under her breath, still annoyed that she ran into Yang's chest, but she recovered. "Yes… So start getting what you need ready. Klein will be here in a few hours."

Yang gave her a thumbs up as she walked over to her side of the room to get some things ready. Weiss on the other hand left the room and knocked on JNPR's door. After a few seconds, Jaune answered it. "Oh, hey, Weiss."

"Klein will be here in a few hours, so please make sure you and the others will be ready by the time he lands." Weiss said quickly, but as she was about to leave, she noticed over his shoulder that Nora and Ren were looking at a picture together, and she felt a little bad for them, since she assumed it was one of their old home.

The blonde huntsman in training realized what Weiss was looking at, so he closed the door as he walked out and sighed. "They're taking it pretty hard, so I'm grateful that you had someone to fly us there."

"You can thank him personally when he gets here… But I am sorry for what happened." Weiss said.

"Hey, you don't have to say sorry for anything. It's not like you trampled their village." Jaune said with a smile, trying to brighten the mood. "Besides, I'm sure they'll feel better once they get to be there again, and, uh, maybe we can clean it up a bit."

Weiss raised an eyebrow. "Would that really do much, Jaune? It's already kind of… Well, destroyed."

"Not for the town. For Ren, and Nora." Jaune reiterated, and Weiss finally understood.

"That's really nice of you to suggest." Weiss admitted, and she thought about what they could do. "Well, I don't think it would be much, but maybe my glyphs can move some things around, and I'm sure the others can contribute as well."

"Great, um… Thanks for not shooting that idea down. I couldn't think of any other way of cheering them up." Jaune explained.

"Right." Weiss let out a small smile. "Anyways, I'll go and let Ruby and Blake know we'll be going soon. And I'll inform them of your idea."

Jaune nodded as she waved him off, and Weiss had more respect for the boy after that.

* * *

 **Lazuria still wishes to have some connection with Weiss, even a small one of giving her a dress. And thankfully Tai was there to assure her that they could help her get it to Weiss. As for the trip, again, it'll make more sense why they're going there soon enough. I don't like just stating the obvious on what's going on, since there wouldn't be much to build up to.**

 **To JJ- Yeah, the amount of 'truths' learned at the time had got to Weiss, so while she may have been angry with Blake, it's not entirely Blake's fault. Just bad timing, and while I don't want to rehash the old gaining trust thing between them, it shouldn't be simply ignored that Weiss is upset with Blake. It's a real reaction in my opinion. And yeah, I wanted Weiss to go to Ruby so that she knows she can always count on her. Also with the Relentless leader, that was the point of making her intimidating, so I'm glad I got the point across for her.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 90. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 91.**


	91. Kind

**Here's chapter 91, everyone.**

* * *

Blake had asked Ruby to speak with her privately, and the cat Faunus wasn't as nervous as she was when she spoke with Weiss. So as the two were talking outside, since the school was too packed with students for any privacy, Blake was ready yet again. "Ruby, I want to know something."

"Okay? Well, shoot." Ruby said.

"You've been friends with Weiss for years now, so you must know a good bit about the White Fang, don't you?" Blake asked, and Ruby's expression changed.

"Them, yes I know about them." Ruby looked a little angrier. "They targeted a lot of workers in her family's company, and sent threats to them. I don't like them one bit."

Blake bit her lip. "I can't really blame you for that. People who threaten others in that way tend to scare people almost as much as the Grimm…"

"It's just not right. Weiss and her family shouldn't have to deal with those people." Ruby defended. "They act like they're doing good for the Faunus, but they're not. They make it worse."

"Yes…" Blake figured Ruby would have that opinion of them, as she was friends with Weiss. "Ruby, there's something I need to tell you." She reached up to her bow, and while she would love to take it off then and there, she couldn't. "You already know I hide my ears, but… I also used to fight for a way to not have to wear this."

Ruby just assumed she meant that she'd be part of protests, and felt bad for the cat Faunus. "I hate it too, and I know I'm not a Faunus, but it's still not fair how things are."

"Some people would agree, but a lot would disagree. It's why I fought for a better life for the Faunus." Blake frowned. "It's why I used to be part of the White Fang."

Hearing that, Ruby's eyes lit up in shock. "Blake?"

"You have every right to be angry at me, but I've told Yang and Weiss already. So I had to tell you as well." Blake said, watching Ruby's expression on her face change to a saddened one.

"I never thought someone like you would ever work with people like that… They're terrible people, Blake. Why would you ever-." Blake stopped the rose girl.

"Ruby, I told you exactly why… I couldn't stay quiet for my whole life, so I went to the one place I believed would make a difference, but they don't. As you know it yourself, they make things worse." Blake noted.

"This is a lot to take in, Blake." Ruby said bluntly, but she let out a small smile. "Still, you're not like them, and I don't think you'd ever be like them."

"You aren't mad?" Blake asked, shocked that Ruby wasn't angrier with her.

Ruby rubbed the back of her head. "I mean, we've all gotten to know you more since we're on the same team. What those people did and still do makes me angry, but you're not with them."

"I used to be though…" Blake reminded.

"That's in the past, Blake. You have to keep moving forward if you ever want to be the person you really want to be." Ruby said while eyeing her bow.

Blake noticed where she was looking and sighed. "I'm not sure that day is anytime soon, but… Thank you for understanding."

Ruby was a pure hearted girl in Blake's eyes, so she knew that Ruby wasn't going to change how she felt about her. "Mhmm. We should get back inside. I'm sure Weiss is probably gonna bite our heads off to start packing."

"Right." Blake smiled, knowing her team at least wasn't going to lump her with the White Fang, though she did have to settle things with Weiss at some point.

* * *

Yang strapped a backpack on, grinning a bit as she leaned down to rub Zwei's head. "You ready to go, boy? You're gonna have to keep yourself still when we're on the airship y'know." The corgi whimpered a little at that, not enjoying the thought of that. "Hehe, I'm kidding. One of us will hold onto you till we land."

The corgi barked at her, wagging his little tail as he was glad she said that.

A moment later, the door opened, with Ruby and Blake walking in. "Hey, Yang. Where's Weiss at?"

"Not sure. She did something embarrassing and walked out." Yang teased with a smirk.

Ruby was curious at that point. "What she do?"

Yang chuckled. "Not telling, but if ya want, you can bug her about it. Anyways, serious time. I thought more about where we're going. It's in Mistral, so remember that different Grimm might show up there, sis."

"I know, Yang, but that doesn't mean anything will change. I'll know when to fight or run." Ruby assured.

"You better," Yang said in her continued serious tone. "Oh, and Blake, I was gonna ask, did you ever go to Mistral for long? I've only been there a couple of times when mom would take us out there for small trips."

Blake nodded. "I've been there enough times to know the different kinds of Grimm there… If we run into a Nuckelavee… I suggest we not fight it. Just because they'll be eight of us, I still think we should be better trained."

"I can't blame you for thinking that way. Besides, it wouldn't just be the one Grimm if Kuroyuri got trashed that bad." Yang reminded.

"Hey, we can't underplay how tough we are either, sis." Ruby remarked. "Safety is important, but we don't need to run away from just any small battle."

"Listen, you know me, Rubes. I'm down for a fight any day of the week, but I-." Ruby ran over and crossed her arms, surprising Yang.

"The moment I mentioned something about fighting or running, you got serious. If this is about me, then just say it." Ruby demanded.

Yang sighed. "You're my little sister, Rubes. You know I'll always be worried about you."

"I'm not saying you can't be, but you have to let me prove why I'm here two years early in the first place. Besides, we're on a team for a reason. We've got each other's backs." Ruby confidently said.

The blonde brawler let out a light, yet proud chuckle. " _Sometimes I wonder who's the older sister…"_

Blake spoke up. "We'll be smart. That's all that really needs to be said."

"Exactly! So let's not just talk about running, since we've gotten training in for our new team attacks." Ruby smiled, hoping she'd be able to use several of those attacks if they did in fact run into Grimm.

"I can hear you from down the hall, Ruby." Weiss said as she walked inside, and the team turned to see the white haired girl. "You need to learn to keep your voice down, you dolt."

Ruby giggled. "Eh, people don't complain. Where'd you go though? Oh, and Yang said you did something embarrassing, so be mad at her for bringing it up."

Weiss' eyes widened and she glared at the blonde. "Nothing happened. Now start getting your things ready. Klein will be here in a few hours, and Jaune had an idea I'd like to pass along to you three."

Yang was actually interested at that point. "Vomit boy has an idea? I so need to hear this."

The white haired teen rolled her eyes. "Oaf, it's about cheering Ren and Nora up. He thinks that we should try cleaning up Kuroyuri a bit, at least for them to feel better about their old home being fixed up."

Ruby smiled, and even felt a little jealous since she wished she came up with that idea. "I think that sounds great, and maybe even one day if people see it fixed up more, and the Grimm there are cleared out, it might be rebuilt entirely."

Weiss shrugged. "I'm not sure how far that will go, but I will say I at least believe we should try to help too." She was trying to take a page out of Ruby's book, being the first to jump into helping people.

"Hey, it's not gonna be too much work. Besides, I could use a bit of heavy lifting." Yang remarked.

"I won't complain either." Blake simply said, not caring about how much work they'd have to do.

"And you know I already like the idea." Ruby grinned. "So that means it's settled. Not only will we be back up, but we're gonna fix up Ren and Nora's old home."

Weiss let out a smile, as Ruby's enthusiasm was very uplifting. "Good, now start getting ready. As I said, Klein will be here in a few hours."

* * *

Not too long later, an airship was docked at one of the landing zones, and Weiss was behind Ruby, smiling up at the airship. "Everyone, be respectful to Klein. Nora, do not ask him about butts just because he's a butler."

"What?! I would do no such thing!" Nora then mumbled something about how Weiss already called her out on what she was going to do.

Ren was actually able to smile at that, while he was ready to return home. "Thank you again for-."

"Uhp, Uhp, Uhp, do not thank me. Thank the man who is piloting that airship. He's the one doing this for us." Weiss reminded, and Ren nodded, not wanting to argue over who to thank.

Ruby chuckled a little. "It's been awhile since I've seen Klein. Wish I could've asked him to bring us some of the sweets he makes…" She was drooling a bit, and Weiss sighed as she pulled out a handkerchief, cleaning her girlfriend's drool.

"Do not drool in front of Klein, you dolt." Weiss ordered.

Blake leaned over to whisper to Yang. "How come Weiss is trying to make things more presentable right now?" She didn't know anything about Klein after all.

"Klein is basically the guy who raised Weiss, well, with her mom of course. He's the dad she should have… So she cares a lot about him." Yang smiled, wishing Jacques was a better father.

The cat Faunus's mouth gently opened a bit, wanting to say something, but she decided to stay quiet as she looked at Weiss' back, seeing the Schnee symbol on her jacket. " _Something else I didn't know about you… ."_

Jaune spoke up as he wanted to ask Weiss about Klein. "So what's he like?"

"Kind," Weiss said the one word, not having to say anything else, and Jaune was surprised she didn't say anymore.

Not a moment later, the airship's main door opened and Klein stepped out as Weiss walked over. She wasted no time, as she started to sprint towards the man she looked to as a Father. "Klein," She hugged him, and the butler returned the embrace. "I've missed you."

"So have I, Snowflake." Klein smiled and pulled away as he looked past Weiss. "I assume those are your friends?" Weiss nodded, and the butler also noticed two familiar faces. "Ah, and young Miss Rose and Xiao Long."

Weiss giggled. "You know they like to be called by their first names, Klein."

Yang was the second to walk over. "Yo, Klein."

The way she said that annoyed Weiss, so she spun on her heel. "Yang, you do not just walk up to people and say, yo. That is incredibly rude, and-."

Klein's eyes turned red. "And you will show proper respect to your elders, young lady." He said to Yang, and the blonde yelped.

"O-Okay… I mean, yes, sir!" Yang saluted and backed away, as Weiss blinked a few times, turning to see Klein's eyes went back to normal.

She giggled lightly. "Thank you for that."

"Hmm?" Klein played it off like nothing happened, as the others walked over, and Ren was the first to bow to the man, since he was the most grateful of the bunch, along with Nora.

"Weiss told us you'll fly us to Kuroyuri. Thank you for doing this. It was… A place that I have a lot of history with." Ren noted.

Klein motioned his hand up, basically telling the boy to raise his head. "Do not worry, young man. Any friend of Miss Schnee's is good in my book, so I'll happily help. Now then, she has told me of how dangerous this can be, so I expect you all to be smart about this."

Pyrrha spoke up. "We will, sir. We have plans to scout the area to make sure no Grimm will get the jump on us, and we also did discuss on leaving two of us behind to protect you and the airship just in case. I'll be one of them."

"I'm glad you all have thought ahead, and I appreciate the protection." He looked over the eight students, and even the little corgi. "If you're all ready, then let's go."

* * *

 **This is the last time Blake will explain her White Fang past, but as I said before, I wanted to show all of their reactions. It shouldn't be something that is talked about out of a chapter. So I hope everyone is okay with how it was handled in this story.  
**

 **To JJ- Weiss can't stay angry with her Mother for long, and for the gift Summer gave her, it's to show that Summer does in fact care for Weiss as well. Zwei will be there, but not sure if he'll be involved in any fights that may happen. As for Lazuria, I always wanted her to get Weiss something, so I'm hoping the gift idea she got her was okay.  
**

 **To the guess on chapter 90- I'm glad you're enjoying it and how the characters are growing. It's something I enjoyed showing in my stories.  
**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 91. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 92.**


	92. Earning A Reward

**Here's chapter 92, everyone.**

* * *

Willow was holding a training sword that Raven gave her. She had on her gear, and her aura was ready for use. She let out a deep breath, as she watched it in the cold, and Raven was watching her from the side of the cabin.

At the moment, Willow was focusing on the way to use her sword. Getting a feel for how to swing the blade. At first she wondered how hard it could really be, thinking that the slashes themselves didn't need to be precise, but the power involved.

Raven was quick to break her out of that mindset, since precision mattered greatly in battle. "Have you figured it out yet?" The black haired huntress called out, while testing to see if Willow would be distracted.

She wasn't, so Willow took a breath and held the training sword in her left hand, as the training dummy Raven brought over was in front of her. Not a moment after taking a breath, Willow swiped the blade at an angle, slicing the torso of the dummy.

Seeing that, Raven walked over to examine it. "Hmm, better, but you still need work." The cut was clean until near the end of it, where it went a little crooked.

"I know." Willow responded, looking at the cut as well. "I can't get myself to finish the attack properly… But I'll continue to try."

"Good." Raven walked back to watch from the cabin, while Willow was holding her blade again, taking a step to the side so she would be in front of another dummy, wanting to use a clean one.

It wasn't an immediate attempt, since Willow wanted to try other slashes, and not just diagonal ones against the chest. She looked at the arm, remembering her deal with Raven.

" _Just going for the arm wouldn't be enough… I have to remember that she'll be able to easily keep me from hitting her arm like that."_

A swipe to the legs with her own feet would be good, but with Raven being a trained huntress, she would also be able to counter that. And Willow wasn't confident enough with the strength she had to even successfully knock her down.

Physically, Willow was easily outmatched, but the white haired woman did have one thing Raven could never have. Glyphs. Willow had thought more and more about how to implement her glyphs into disarming her.

" _Simply holding her arms isn't good enough. I can't just keep her locked and remove her weapon… I need to be able to do it the right way. Not take the easy way out."_

Raven was wondering what the other woman was doing, since she was just standing there. " _Is she going to make a move or what?"_

Willow continued looking at the dummies, and since she was only using a sword in one hand, her other was free to use a glyph. She was even able to imagine Raven in front of her, as she plotted out points of where she could use her glyphs to her advantage.

Even so, it wasn't only tactics. Willow wanted to work on her power as well, so she gripped her training sword a lot tighter. She lifted her arm up and slashed down, aiming for the arm as it cut halfway, and Willow gasped. "Damn it…"

Raven walked over, sighing as she could see Willow wasn't happy with the slash she made. "It's not a bad cut. Grimm with no aura would be pretty damaged from it, as long as you don't hit the armor, but from how you look, I can see you're not completely happy with it."

Willow shook her head, pulling the blade up and off the dummy. "I wanted to cut the entire arm off… But I'm not physically strong enough… Any time I watched my daughter train, she'd end up slicing through the dummies with ease."

"Don't forget she's trained for years, while you've trained for a couple of months. And it's not always about being physically strong. Yes, it does help, but the blade in your hand is also an extension of yourself." Raven said, remembering Summer's words.

"Hmm," Willow knew of those words as well, and she nodded. "I can't say I know exactly what I can do, but I also would rather you not give me the answer."

"I had no plan to. Figuring things out is your job, but maybe we should call it on this session." Raven suggested, and Willow sighed.

The white haired woman handed Raven the training sword and nodded. "I suppose stopping now is fine. Would you like to go out and get something to eat?"

Raven wasn't expecting Willow to ask her that, as a light blush appeared on her face. "Um, I don't really care. I mean, we have food in the cabin we can eat instead…"

"Oh come on, Raven Branwen. When was the last time you went out and had a nice dinner at a restaurant?" Willow teased with a smirk, and the black haired huntress rolled her eyes.

"Some of us aren't given all the money on Remnant from their family's dust company." Raven reminded.

"I'm pretty sure a huntress has enough money on her to afford buying themselves dinner at a restaurant." Willow countered. "And maybe buying someone else dinner."

Raven was taken aback. "Why exactly would I buy one of the richest woman on Remnant dinner when she can buy the entire restaurant?"

"Because clearly it's the kind thing to do as my instructor, rewarding me for a job well done… And because I'm trying not to use as much of Jacques' money." Willow answered with a hint of venom in her voice.

"Is that right…" Raven sighed. "Fine, but don't go overboard on what you order."

"Does this figure look like I go overboard?" Willow questioned and crossed her arms, as Raven looked away, not wanting to say something that would get her a slap to the face.

"J-Just change out of your gear…" Raven said as she walked back to the cabin, and Willow simply smirked to herself as she followed.

* * *

Jaune, Yang and Nora were sleeping on the airship, seeing as the trip to Mistral was a long one, while the others were just on their scrolls to pass the time. Ruby was holding Zwei in her lap so he wouldn't slip around the airship, while Weiss was silently taking pictures of the dog in her girlfriend's lap.

"Good thing Jaune is sleeping, huh?" Ruby remarked. "I mean, remember how he got his nickname after all." She giggled a bit at the memory of her first day at Beacon.

Pyrrha spoke up. "He's getting better dealing with it in my opinion. People with motion sickness almost can't even fall asleep in moving vehicles in the first place."

"Yeah, I guess that's true. Not that I'm complaining. Barf is gross." Ruby noted while rubbing Zwei's ears, and the dog wagged his little tail.

Weiss looked to Ren, who had Nora laying against him. "Will you be okay when we get there?"

Ren nodded, assuring the girl in white that he'd be fine. "We've been there a few times before. The only difference is how much more damaged it is, but we'll be okay."

"You know if you need time to yourselves there, we'll do what we can to keep you covered." Weiss said, while continuing to think of how Ruby would talk.

"Thank you. We might need a moment or two, but we won't make you all wait too long. It's still too risky." Ren stated.

Weiss nodded in agreement. "Okay."

Klein was hearing their conversations as he continued to pilot the airship to Mistral. He was glad to hear how Weiss was still wanting to help her friends, while the white haired teen was simply trying to better herself by learning from Ruby.

"Hey, Weiss, I was thinking that when we get there, maybe you can use your semblance to sniff out any Grimm we've fought." Ruby suggested.

"That's what I was planning to do, but it still uses a good bit of my aura, so I may have to stay that way for a little while." Weiss said.

"You've used it for way longer, so I don't see a problem with that." Ruby let out an eager smile, since she still wanted to try out team attacks with Weiss' wolf abilities.

"Yes, well I don't completely want to use my wolf semblance, Ruby." Weiss said, wanting to hone her skills in more than one way. "Anyways, that's for later."

Pyrrha chuckled a little. "Not to take one side, but during our sparring match, you were doing well as a wolf, Weiss."

"Maybe so, but I've thought about it a lot. I relied only on that, my wolf semblance… I want to learn how to truly fight without it too." Weiss explained. "Like you, Pyrrha, you've shown a lot of promise with your skill alone."

The scarlet haired huntress in training would tend to get complimented a lot, but she was understanding why Weiss was comparing her to herself. "To be fair, I also work on my semblance too."

"I know, but seeing how you ALL fight was a wake up call." Weiss said as she looked down at her lap. "Ruby is a pro with her scythe… Yang can break a Grimm's hand if she wanted to with just her strength, and Blake is nimble and her attacks are deadly…"

Ruby spoke up at that point. "Weiss, you know you're just as strong too. Remember that I've watched you train without you using your wolf semblance, and during initiation, you didn't use it all the time."

Weiss sighed. "Because I hid that from you during initiation, Ruby. If I wasn't trying to hide it, I know I would have used it from the beginning, and I've also only recently started training with my glyphs."

"I still think you're doing fine…" Ruby mumbled.

"If we run into Grimm here, I would at least like to try to fight them as I am now." Weiss said, and Klein tensed up a bit when he heard her, but he wouldn't say anything, knowing Weiss would argue to not worry so much about her.

Ruby shifted a bit in her seat. "Alright, but… You know that we all have our strengths and weaknesses, Weiss. You're really strong when you use your wolf semblance. And before you say anything, you know I'm garbage without Crescent Rose. So we all have work to do for ourselves."

Weiss knew Ruby didn't exactly like the idea of hand to hand combat training, so her difficulty of fighting against her weaknesses was even tougher than her own struggles. "Ruby, I didn't mean to-."

"It's fine, Weiss. I know how it feels to want to improve, well, I mean it's something we all want to do after all." Ruby smiled, and Weiss blushed a little. "You'll get better with fighting as you are now, just like I'll suck it up and get better at fighting without Crescent Rose."

Blake was listening in, feeling less inclined to join in on conversations with the team ever since she told them of her past with the White Fang, but as she listened, she thought to herself on her own weaknesses.

" _There's a lot I can think of… But one specific thing is hard to pinpoint."_

Pyrrha folded her arms on her lap and nodded. "It's true about everyone having their strengths and weaknesses, and while you work on them, remember Weiss, no one is perfect."

"Hmm… Yeah." Perfection was something she didn't have to worry about, but at times she'd hear Jacques speaking with Whitley about how he needed to be perfect, to be the 'proper' CEO.

In his eyes, Jacques Schnee did believe he was perfect, and Weiss hated the idea of him trying to force Whitley to strive on being perfect.

Zwei barked a few times, snapping Weiss out of it as he woke up Jaune, Yang and Nora. "Gah! Are we there?!" Nora yelled, having been startled by the dog's barking.

Klein chuckled a few times. "Not just yet, but I believe young Miss Rose's dog may be hungry. Miss Schnee did mention that you'd bring him, so I took the liberty of bringing some treats. There's a bag up here if you want to feed him."

Yang groaned and stretched a bit, choosing to be the one to walk over. She looked at the bag and leaned down. "Man, I was having a good dream too." She walked back over and handed the bag to Blake, who looked confused since she wasn't expecting to be given the bag. "Gonna go back to snoozing."

Blake watched her partner close her eyes as she sat back, and Ruby smiled at her. "So, Blake… Wanna give Zwei one of the treats in the bag?"

The cat Faunus' eyes widened as she looked at the dog, who was eyeing the bag, and Blake was praying that he wouldn't jump at her.

* * *

 **I still love writing out Willow and Raven moments, since in canon, they're not characters I believe will ever interact, and I wanna see it here. So I hope everyone is enjoying their scenes like I am.  
**

 **To JJ- Klein is best dad, and with Ruby and Yang knowing Weiss for years, they've easily picked up on it, which is why I wrote Yang explaining who Klein is for Weiss. So I'm glad you liked that she was the one explaining. As for Blake and Ruby, well, I see no reason why Ruby would hold anything against her, so yeah, she is able to forgive her for keeping that secret from them.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 92. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 93.**


	93. I Didn't Mean It

**Here's chapter 93, everyone.**

* * *

Winter sighed, having went through a good bit of Anima with her team already. " _This is so ridiculous. There is nothing here, just like the last island… I hope the General wasn't given false information."_

"Ma'am, there was something behind the bushes." One of the soldiers said to her, so Winter barely glanced over, watching as a few Beowolves stepped out, so she sighed and used her semblance, summoning a single King Taijitu.

The summoned Grimm hissed at the Beowolves and instantly attacked, biting into one, while constricting the others and crushing them. The two soldiers with Winter didn't think she'd use her summoning ability that fast, but with how impatient she was getting, Winter was tired of it.

"Simply more Grimm. This area is more than likely home more Beowolves. While we're here for the strange sightings of larger animals, we can still clear out Grimm here." Winter commanded.

"Yes, Ma'am!" The two soldiers then kept their weapons at the ready, as Winter was thinking more about what they could be doing on the mission, since the Grimm were only in the way at that point.

" _The other teams still report the same findings. Just Grimm, so maybe the sightings were just wrong and the ones who sent in that report only saw larger Grimm, believing they were animals."_

Winter shook her head a few times. " _No, Grimm are too distinct for that. Even if there was someone who only saw them with one eye. There has to be more to this."_

Animals that were considered a threat to humanity is what the report was made to sound like, and while it sounded ludicrous, Winter knew she couldn't just stop the mission just because she felt like she was wasting her time.

As the Atlas Specialist was continuing to search one of the islands of Anima, she came across a few tracks that weren't the same as the ones she's ran into before, so she knelt down and examined the tracks for a few moments. "You two, over here."

The soldiers ran over, looking down in shock at the larger tracks on the ground. "W-Whoa, I think that might classify under what we're looking for, Ma'am."

"Don't be so sure just yet. Remember that some Grimm are larger than others." Winter said as she got up and pulled her saber out. "Be sure not to harm the animals we're here looking for, so yes, you will need a bit of hesitation in your attacks."

"Yes, Ma'am." The two soldiers said again, keeping their rifles ready for any large Grimm that may appear in the forest they had entered, since the tracks led them to one.

Winter noticed the tracks were larger than normal, and of a bear, so an Ursa would be a good guess. Still, Winter wasn't ready to simply let the tracks go without further investigation. "One of you contact the other teams to update me on their own investigations. Tracks, sightings, anything."

One of them nodded, as she began to contact the others, and Winter hoped that they'd find something soon, or else she'd rip her own hair out from wasting so much time on the mission.

* * *

"Miss Schnee, we're here." Klein called out, and Weiss got up, slowly walking over to look out at where they were landing, and she grimaced at the sight.

"Oh…" Weiss held her hand up to her mouth, taking in the sight of the destroyed village in the distance. "It's completely ruined…"

Ruby was next to walk over and she too was taken aback, so she gently took Weiss' hand in her own. "Don't worry. We're gonna help fix this place up like Jaune said."

Weiss sighed and chose to whisper. "There's only so much we can do though…"

"It'll be enough to help them feel better." Ruby said of Ren and Nora, who were both staying seated, feeling nervous about seeing their old home in ruins. "We have to be positive, for them."

Hearing that was another hit of inspiration for Weiss, as Ruby was the kind of person who put others before herself. "You really know what to say, you dork."

Ruby let out a smile, since she knew by that, Weiss was feeling a little better. "You say a lot that makes me feel better too, Wolfy."

Weiss groaned, since Ruby hadn't called her that for a bit, so she hoped she would've forgotten about it. "Ugh, you're such a hassle." She walked back over to the others, and Yang was the one holding Zwei that time. "Remember to keep him here."

"Don't worry, Ice Wolf." Yang looked down at Zwei and grinned. "You gotta be good for Klein okay, Zwei? I don't wanna see you running out of the airship to fight with us. It's too dangerous and besides, Klein is gonna need backup too."

Zwei nodded and barked, confirming he would listen and stay behind, so the blonde girl smiled as she set him down.

Pyrrha was fixing her armor up a bit as she got up. "Sir, I'll be outside of the airship to guard you and our transport." Before she walked over to the exit, Jaune placed his hand on her shoulder. "Hmm? Jaune, what's wrong?"

"Before you said two of us will be guarding the airship," He glanced over at Zwei. "And I don't know if a dog counts as the second, so I'm gonna stay here too to defend them with you." Zwei growled a little when the blonde boy said he doesn't count as a second, so he chuckled nervously and moved further from the dog.

The scarlet haired huntress in training smiled, nodding at his suggestion of staying. "That's a good idea, Jaune. Having more of us here will make sure we have a way back home still."

Jaune looked over at Weiss, hoping she could handle getting the others to still fix up Kuroyuri a bit, since it was his idea in the first place. The white haired girl simply nodded, assuring him that she'd be good for it.

Nora sighed and got up, as she helped Ren up. "You ready to go back home?" She let out a small smile, trying to be as positive as she could be.

Ren took a deep breath. "As ready as I can be," Both of them walked to the exit of the airship, as their friends let them off first.

Klein had landed a decent distance from the village, and since the airship he flew in on wasn't that big, spotting it wouldn't be as easy. The others walked out next, with Jaune and Pyrrha staying close to the airship.

"Oh man…" Yang remarked, looking at Kuroyuri. "I know we saw it already, but seeing it up close…" She said silently so Ren and Nora wouldn't hear her.

Blake's cat ears drooped, and she looked over at Ren and Nora, who were both silently looking out at their old home, hand in hand as the wind blew past them. Ruby's cloak was blowing in the wind, and she walked up to the two. "Hey… If you guys need a bit, we'll give you the space you need."

Nora squeezed Ren's hand and shook her head. "That means a lot to us, but it's okay. I think we'd rather get over there and make sure any Grimm around leave…"

"Kuroyuri is the resting place for many… I'd like it to be respected properly." Ren said as he continued to look on at the village. "Let's go."

Ren began to walk to Kuroyuri with Nora in hand, both knowing that it was going to be hard on them to be back again. While the others, excluding Jaune and Pyrrha were following them, Weiss caught something on the corner of her eye.

She felt like she saw something moving near the mountains, but when a bush at the same spot rustled a little, she shook her head and continued on.

Behind the bush was a large bear, and it walked to another spot to watch the students. It started to sniff towards them, and its eyes went wide, catching a familiar scent.

* * *

Willow was stretching from her day of training, and as Raven walked back into the cabin, she raised an eyebrow. "You're just going to stay dressed in that?" The white haired woman asked while looking at Raven's normal huntress attire.

"No one said I had to look nice. Besides, I leave my clothes in the places I stay at when I travel. So I didn't feel like getting back there to change." Raven explained as she realized Willow was looking at her blade. "You're going to tell me to leave my weapon here… Aren't you."

"Raven, you can't bring weapons into a restaurant. You know this." Willow said as she crossed her arms. "Don't argue with me on this, since I am not about to have you cause a scene there."

The black haired huntress was taken aback. "W-What? Who said I'd cause a scene. If anyone there tried taking my sword, I'd just leave. I don't need their fancy catering anyways."

"Ugh, you are not getting out of this because you want to carry around a sword with you all the time." Willow complained. "Just leave it here so we can go already." She was back in her home attire herself, since the dinner idea was just on the spot.

Raven rolled her eyes and placed her sword under the bed. "Fine. Hurry up so we can get this done already." She secretly didn't want Willow to know that she was actually fine with going with her for dinner.

"Hmph," Willow grabbed her purse from the counter and got up. "I swear, sometimes you can be more of a pain than Jacques."

"At least when I hit you, it's…" Raven stopped herself when she realized what she said. "Willow, I didn't-."

Willow had frozen on the spot, sighing to herself as she shook her head. "Don't say anything else… I'd like to eat something before returning home please…"

Raven watched her leave the cabin, and she sighed, feeling like the biggest idiot. "Damn it…"

* * *

"Okay, before we get there, now is the time we start scouting the area." Ruby said, and the others nodded. "Weiss, you and I can get the north and east of the town, and since Jaune and Pyrrha are back at the airship."

Yang was proud of her sister for taking charge, and she was next to speak up. "Blake and I can take the west, but since you and Weiss are taking the north and east-."

"I think we'd rather take two sides, the south and east." Ren requested, and Ruby raised an eyebrow. "It's our home, so I'd rather not burden any of you with scouting more than the rest of us."

"Ren it's really no big deal, and besides, Weiss is going to use her semblance. She's a lot better at tracking than the rest of us that way." Ruby explained.

Hearing that made Ren feel bad, since he didn't want the others to do so much work for them, since it was their home and request to go there. Nora just squeezed his arm and nodded with a smile. "She's right. So me and Ren can take the south."

Ruby nodded back, and she looked to Weiss. "You ready?"

"I am, but remember what I said earlier." Weiss closed her eyes and focused on her 'semblance'. A moment later, the familiar light enveloped her and she was on her paws.

The rose girl picked up her partner's clothes and put them away, except for her wolf pendant, which she tied around Weiss' neck. Ruby smiled at her partner and looked to the others. "Alright, remember that if you run into any Grimm, try to lead them away from the town."

Everyone nodded and started making their way near their scouting positions.

Weiss and Ruby chose to start with the east side first, and the white wolf was sniffing around for any Grimm she's fought in the past. "Hmm, nothing yet, but that doesn't mean we're safe, Ruby."

"Right. New Grimm we haven't fought could show up after all."

"Honestly I wouldn't be surprised. I've only fought Grimm during initiation and the mission we went on, so the scents I've picked up are limited." Weiss stated, and continued sniffing around.

Ruby was on high alert herself, though she was a little surprised that they hadn't even run into any Beowolves yet. "I'm wondering if those hunters that fought here cleared them all out."

"I don't know for sure, but all I can say is that an abandoned town like this is perfect to house Grimm, so even if they were killed near here, that doesn't mean more won't show up." Weiss reasoned.

"It's a gamble for sure, but as long as we're here making sure nothing can get the jump on us, then we'll be good." Ruby said, not knowing what had actually been around them.

* * *

 **Raven messed up, and now they're finally in Kuroyuri, so no more delays on that. Winter herself has something to deal with too, and she's gonna be in for a big surprise.**

 **To JJ- I have motion sickness too, so I get the pain which is why I wrote that part in. Honestly it's so annoying to deal with. As for Raven and Willow, well, you can see the tension built between these two. They're still fun to write, but they also have their differences here and there. We'll see how long it takes for Blake to warm up to Zwei too.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 93. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 94.**


	94. Odd One Out

**Here's chapter 94, everyone.**

* * *

"You can stop walking faster than normal…" Raven called out to the white haired woman, who just ignored her, so the black haired huntress sighed and tried to catch up to her. When she did, she glanced at her. "Look, I spoke out of line, I can admit that."

Willow kept looking straight. "I'm not angry, so just drop it so we can get to the restaurant."

"Not angry my ass. If you weren't, you'd look at me while speaking." Raven stated, and Willow stopped walking as the snow around them was falling. It was around eight in the evening at the time, and several people around them continued walking past.

"I'll have you know that not every conversation needs to be face to face, so excuse me if I'd rather get to where I want to be." Willow didn't raise her voice at that point, not wanting to cause a scene as she glared at Raven.

Raven simply shook her head. "You can just tell me to leave."

"I asked you to accompany me to dinner, and you already said yes. So drop this and let's get it over with. Something you would say, correct?" Willow fired back, and Raven realized that the white haired woman had really wanted to just enjoy a night of having dinner together.

Willow stood her ground, continuing to glare at the huntress, waiting on her response. "Okay, lead the way then."

"Hmph," Willow spun on her boots and continued to walk towards the restaurant, while Raven silently followed.

" _Guess I'm the idiot this time…"_

The fact that brought up Jacques in such a way was a shot to the chest, and while Raven wished she could take it back, she knew that wasn't exactly so easy, so she thought about how to calm Willow down when they got there.

"Is that Willow Schnee?"

"I think it is."

"What's she doing out here without her bodyguards?"

Several people around had questioned, while Raven rolled her eyes, since she knew from Willow's training that she could wipe the floor with the people who had their own words to say, but another thing someone said ticked her off.

"A woman like her must be out here to flaunt her damn money." The person sucked his teeth. "Damn Schnee bitch, thinking she's all that."

Raven stopped walking, as she slowly turned to the man, and Willow wasn't far enough to not hear. For Willow, she simply ignored it, but when she heard the man cry out in fear, her eyes went wide and she turned to see Raven slamming him against a wall, holding the collar of his shirt to keep him up.

"W-Who the hell are you?! Let go of me!" The man yelled, while seeing the red glare in Raven's eyes.

"Repeat what you said so I can knock your teeth out." Raven threatened, while several civilians were frightened by what she was doing.

Willow ran over and grabbed Raven's arm. "That's enough, Raven… Let him go. Now."

Raven was still glaring at the man, and as she felt Willow holding her arm, she slowly let go of the man, who fell to the ground on his ass. "Keep your damn opinions to yourself," Raven pulled herself away from Willow and started walking away, while the man was shaking in fear.

"D-Don't think I won't report this!" The man yelled out at Raven, and Willow looked down at him in anger, but not for what he said about her.

She said nothing and walked away from the man, who at that point had noticed it was Willow who pulled Raven away, intimidating him to not even think twice about reporting Raven to the authorities, since Willow could more than likely get the best lawyers on Remnant if she wanted.

"Atlas and their damn opinions. Idiots, all of them." Raven mumbled, while Willow had caught up and tried to reach out to grab her arm.

"Am I included in that?" Willow asked, and Raven glanced at her, sighing a bit as she shook her head. "You didn't have to do that. I hear that stuff all the time. It doesn't bother me anymore."

"I didn't do it for you… People just need to learn to shut up is all." Raven lied, while Willow let out a small smile.

She was still a little hurt from the comment about Jacques, but knowing that Raven was defending her in such a way was a kind gesture, as kind as Raven can get that is.

"Right, well I'm glad to know that you're good at shutting people up." Willow joked and lead the black haired huntress to the restaurant.

* * *

Blake wasn't sure how to feel. She was helping out her friends, at least she felt like she could call them that, but at the same time, the fact that she was now out in the open with her team about her past with the White Fang, it made her feel less welcomed.

" _Ruby told me how she felt about them… She's forgiving, but even then, I did things she'd not be able to forgive if she saw me do them. Weiss… She has every right to be mad with me. No Schnee would be able to just up and forgive someone from the White Fang. Yang…"_

"Hey, you doing okay, Blake?" Yang's voice snapped her out of it, and Blake turned to see the concerned look on her partner's face.

"I'm… I'm not sure I should have told them." Blake admitted, since Yang was the person she trusted most, she could answer her with no hesitation. "Ruby and Weiss."

Yang knew exactly what she meant. "Why not? It's a lot better than hiding who you are, Blake. I mean, even that," She pointed at the bow on Blake's head. "Is something I want you to be able to take off one day. Don't you want that too?"

"Of course I do, but Weiss is still upset with me, and Ruby told me how much she hated the White Fang for what they do." Blake explained.

"It's gonna take time, but you know they don't think of you like them." Yang stated.

"Even so, it just feels like I'm back at stage one… People around me end up conflicted with me." Blake said in a somber tone. "And you… You're always cleaning up after my mistakes. I can't go a day without you having to help me."

Yang sighed and crossed her arms. "Come on, Blake. You've lived seventeen years out there without me, so what's wrong with a little help here and there?"

"But it's not just here and there! You put me before yourself all the time! You can't keep doing that!" Blake yelled out, and Yang was surprised by her outburst.

The blonde brawler stood there for a moment, and she rubbed her arm a few times. "Is that really bothering you…"

"Yes! Think of yourself for once, Yang… I'm tired of you not trying to-." Yang stomped her foot against the ground.

"Stop talking for a second." Yang ordered, and Blake was taken aback by how she spoke. "You don't get it. I've done nothing but complain in my life, saying how bullshit it is to have a mom who left us after a divorce… How I would feel like the one person in the family that didn't belong… Because Summer wasn't my birth mom. Mom, dad… Ruby… And me. I felt like the odd one out."

Blake tensed up a bit, walking to take a step forward, but Yang continued speaking.

"That was so many years ago at this point, and I hated feeling sorry for myself. I hated being this negative person, so yeah, I decided to just push those dumb thoughts away till I ended up not needing to worry for myself. Was it a good idea? No, because I bottled things up with my mom, and maybe it worked out… But things might've been better if I just spoke up about how I felt." Yang walked over to Blake and looked her right in the eyes, her lilac orbs staying the way they were. "So I'm sorry if I'm used to not worrying so much about myself, and looking after the people I care about first."

Blake's ears drooped under her bow, and she took a step back. "I… I didn't-."

"You didn't know. Ruby doesn't know, Weiss doesn't know. No one knows, Blake, because I hide it." Yang explained, but kept her composure. "You're right. I should look after myself, but I get to choose that. Not you, so if I choose to look after you before myself, then you better damn well know I will."

The cat Faunus wasn't sure what to say at that point. She knew Yang had her own baggage, but learning how she felt like the odd one out in her family was a surprise. "I just want you to think about yourself for once… I don't want you getting hurt because of me…"

"If I do, it's my choice, Blake. So please, don't push me away." Yang moved towards her and hugged her, feeling like a weight was lifted off her shoulders, since she never really told anyone those feelings she had.

Blake was shaking a little in her embrace, but she calmed down after a few moments and slowly wrapped her arms around Yang, burying her face in the blonde's shoulder. "I'm sorry…"

"Don't be, because you were brave enough to tell me what's bothering you. I couldn't do that with my family." Yang smiled and rubbed her back. "You're strong, Blake."

"How am I? I ran from home, I ran from the White Fang… What kind of person is strong if all they do is run away?" Blake asked, a little muffled.

Yang moved her hand up and stroked her hair. "The kind of person who makes her own choices in life, and then shows the world who she really is, one person at a time if she has to."

Blake's eyes widened and she bit her lip, letting a few tears fall as Yang let her stay that way for a bit, knowing that Grimm could still be around, so she did keep an eye out while slowly running her hand through her hair.

* * *

Weiss was sighing to herself, since she and Ruby had been searching for a good amount of time, not staying with one pass of either side they were tasked to scout. It was around their fourth run of the east side and she shook her head. "I've got nothing, Ruby."

"Well, that's good right? Though I was kinda hoping for at least a few Beowolves." Ruby pouted a little.

The white wolf playfully rolled her eyes. "I know you want to show off, but seeing as we've went up and down the area, there really isn't any danger. So yes, it is a good thing."

"I'll let the others know so we can meet up at the main entrance then." Ruby said as she pulled her scroll out.

Unbeknownst to the two, someone was watching them from the distance with binoculars, while there was a bear next to them. The person watched closely at the two, and the wolf they were looking at shined, and both the person and the bear watching them got their answer, as the girl in red began wrapping her cloak around the other as she reached into her bag.

"She really is one of us. No doubt about it." The person with the binoculars said to himself, and the bear next to him watched the two girls as the white haired one changed into her clothes.

* * *

Kuroyuri was a mess, and with it, debris was scattered all over, so the group had to step over several pieces of it. "Watch your step, everyone." Ruby warned.

Ren was looking from house to house, at least what was left of the houses. "So many…"

Nora was still holding his hand as she looked over at one house in particular. It simply reminded her of her time in Kuroyuri, where she met the boy who she was walking with. Even with their old home destroyed, she still let out a somber smile at the happier memories that came with it.

Blake had been quiet since her talk with Yang, and while the others didn't bring it up, they had other things to worry about, especially since they had a lot of moving around to do.

As they were about to start doing that, Weiss looked behind her when she smelled something odd. That itself shocked Weiss, since her enhanced sense of smell was only active when she was a wolf.

" _Why can I smell something? I wasn't before…"_

"Ruby… Stop for a second." Weiss said, and as the group turned to her, she looked around. "I-I don't know why, but I can smell something close, and before you say it, yes I know I'm not using my semblance."

The group was confused by that, but they readied their weapons as something hiding in one of the buildings watched from the darkness.

* * *

 **Blake and Yang needed that talk, and with Willow and Raven, well you can see how those two are with each other now. Hopefully they won't end up breaking someone's legs. And now we see what Weiss can do outside of her wolf form.**

 **To JJ- Yeah, Raven made a mistake on saying that, but at least here she shows that she cares. As for Weiss, well, I think you'll get your answers sooner than you think. Oh, and I'm glad you're still enjoying how I write Ruby and Weiss moments. I'm trying to still include them in without interrupting the main story.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 94. Remember, reviews are welcomed but not required. See you all in chapter 95.**


	95. A New Pack

**Here's chapter 95, everyone.**

* * *

"Wait, how can you even smell anything? You're not using your semblance, Ice Wolf." Yang stated the obvious while keeping an eye out for any Grimm that might be in the destroyed town.

"I know that, you oaf, but for some reason I can smell something, so don't drop your guard." Weiss said while tightening her grip on Myrtenaster.

Ruby looked around as well, but saw nothing, so she tried calling out to whoever was there. "Hey! If you're a person, yell back! We're here to make sure no Grimm are here!"

Ren didn't like the silence that followed, as he kept his Stormflower at the ready. "Are you sure you smelled something living?"

Weiss sighed. "Look, it's not something I can exactly pinpoint, but I know I can smell something around here. It's not a Grimm I've fought though… So… I don't know what it is."

Nora looked annoyed, hating that something around them could be hiding in the their old home. "If you're not gonna come out, I'll just make sure every spot you can hide in will crush you!"

Ren turned to Nora, not wanting to let her get angrier than she was already, so he placed his hand on her shoulder, using his semblance to calm her down. "Nora…"

The orange haired girl took a few breaths, as her body lost its color for a moment, but after a few seconds, she gained her color back and shook her head a few times. "R-Ren? I got angry again… Didn't I?"

"It's okay, just remember that the others are still here with us. Whatever's out here can't hide forever." Ren assured, and Nora felt terrible for suggesting she would break down even more of Kuroyuri just to crush whatever was around them.

"And they call us monsters, sheesh." A voice said as a woman with red hair walked out of one of the wrecked houses, with a smirk on her face as the group aimed their weapons at her. "Whoa, you kids need to relax."

They didn't lower their weapons, since they had no idea who the woman was. She had long red hair, and her eyes were light brown as she had on simple traveler's clothes, ones that you'd find in Mistral.

"Who are you, and why were you hiding in this place?" Ruby questioned, not lowering her sniper.

"Names don't really matter much, kid, but hey, I'll let you in on a secret. Hiding isn't what I'm doing." She smirked, taking a moment to examine the six students, who didn't look to be part of the group she was trying to ambush. "Oh, and thanks for possibly ruining my plans."

Ren spoke up. "What are you talking about? What plans?"

"Ugh, y'know, I was honestly hoping on running into the people I was planning on ambushing, but it really does look like you're just a bunch of kids." The red haired woman shrugged and walked over to a partially destroyed bench and sat down as a bird flew down and landed on her shoulder. "Hey, I didn't call for you."

Everyone was confused by the woman ignoring them, and the bird looked to them, eyeing Weiss specifically. The bird leaned close to the woman's ear and she raised an eyebrow. After a moment, she looked to Weiss as well, who had noticed at that point.

"What?" Weiss questioned.

"Nothing. Look, you kids should seriously just leave… There's nothing here but danger. I mean, just look at this place." The scarlet haired woman said while motioning her arm around to show the village's destroyed state.

Nora clenched her weapon harder and glared at the woman. "This place was our old home. We're not leaving just because you tell us to."

"I don't really give a crap if any of you leave or not," The woman said, but then looked to Weiss. "Except for you," Weiss was taken aback, and the woman gave her a serious look. "Get out of here while you can, cub."

Weiss' eyes widened, seeing as the woman may somehow know about her wolf 'semblance'. "Excuse me? What did you just call me?"

"You heard me once. I know exactly what you are, so if you know what's good for you, you'll take off before your life ends up ruined." She warned, and Ruby took a step forward.

"If you're threatening her, you better be prepared to get past me first." Ruby said, her silver eyes glaring into the unnamed woman, who simply rolled her eyes.

"I'm not threatening her. I'm helping her." The bird on her shoulder flew up to a dead tree, as the woman got up from the bench and pointed at Weiss, but Ruby got in the way. "Let me guess, you can change into a wolf, right?"

Everyone was shocked by how she could've known that, Weiss especially. "How did you know that?" The white haired teen questioned as she stepped forward, aiming her blade at the woman. "Were you spying on us the entire time?"

"Yes, and while we were, it's not that we had to see you changing to know what you are." She said, not dropping her serious expression from her face. "Your scent, it tells us."

"Us? What I am? What in the world are you talking about?" Weiss growled, but Blake spoke up.

"Don't let this woman get to you, Weiss. She just admitted that there are others with her." When Blake said that, the others started looking around, not wanting to be hit by a sneak attack, and the woman shrugged.

"Clearly you don't know anything about yourself, so in the end, I stick by what I said. Leave this place before you end up ruining your life." The woman suggested as she turned around and started walking away.

"Hey! You can't just walk away!" Weiss yelled as she walked faster to reach her. "I'm speaking to you!"

Not a moment later, the woman spun around and kicked her stomach, making Weiss fumble back and gasp out, as Ruby used her semblance and shot forward, getting behind the woman as she swung her scythe at her after transforming it.

She didn't like the idea of anyone laying a finger on Weiss, so the moment she saw her fall back, she was angry, and went in to break the woman's aura. The red haired woman smirked and jumped over the attack, landing back down as she stretched. "You're pretty fast, kid."

Ruby growled and watched as Blake and Yang were helping Weiss up, while Ren and Nora were running in from behind the woman, trying to get an attack in, but she simply jumped to the right, with her enhanced senses letting her hear them coming.

Weiss coughed a bit, as she sat up and rubbed her stomach. She looked annoyed with the woman, but suddenly the bird that was on her shoulder before flew back down to the woman.

"Hmm?" As the bird leaned in to speak to the unknown woman, she sighed a bit. "Ugh, fine." She looked to the group. "Sorry for what I did, but I'm seriously not here to fight you kids."

"Then why did you kick Weiss like that?!" Ruby yelled out, holding back from charging at the woman.

"Because she won't listen. I'll say it slow this time." That comment annoyed the group. "If you leave. You will be fine. If you stay. I can't protect her."

"Protect her? Protect her from what?" Ruby questioned, and Weiss was able to stand up after that, hearing what she had said.

"Explaining everything to you would be a waste of time, and besides, it's not like she'll have to worry about it. Just as long as you listen to me… And if it helps, my name is Nel, so look, let's just calm down already." Nel said, trying to defuse the situation.

Weiss waked over, holding her stomach as she refused to let that be the end of it. "Not until you tell me what I'm in danger of, and why it's me who is in danger."

"I hate this, but I guess you won't leave it be. Okay, kid. Question, you can change into a wolf, that much I know, but do you know why you can?" Nel asked.

The question was concerning, and the others kept their weapons still aimed at her. "It's my semblance. And just because it's rare doesn't mean it should be looked at differently from other semblances."

"Your semblance? Huh, okay, well that's good. Can you do anything else?" Nel inquired, leading her question to where she believed Weiss would take it.

" _Nel, that's enough. This girl doesn't know what she is, so just let them do what they came here for, and then they can go. None of The Relentless are around. We've made sure."_

The voice in her head had told her, so Nel sighed and shook her head. "Never mind. You kids can do… Whatever it is you wanted to do. I won't get in the way, but try to hurry it up."

As she said that, everyone was taken aback, since she was so intent on making Weiss leave not moments ago. "W-Wait, you can't just-." Before Weiss could continue, Nel raised her hand up to stop her.

"Look, kid. I made a mix up and now I get that what you do is just your semblance. Nothing more, so like I said, please just do what you wanna do. I'm gonna go nap." Nel stretched and walked into one of the destroyed homes.

Yang blinked a few times. "What the hell just happened?"

"I have no idea, but don't forget that woman talked about others being around." Blake reminded, while Weiss stared at where Nel went off to.

Ruby was looking as well, but with a glare since she hated how Nel had kicked her girlfriend, and a moment later she walked over to Weiss. "Are you okay?"

Weiss rubbed her stomach a bit and nodded, while not looking away from where Nel went. "I'm fine… I think we should just start fixing up the town as much as we can…" She turned away and walked back to Blake and Yang.

Ren and Nora looked to each other for a moment and sighed.

* * *

Nel was sighing while looking up at the destroyed roof of the house she was in, and not a moment later she heard the voice in her head speaking again.

" _Don't you want to keep an eye on the girl?"_ The man in her head was using his semblance to speak to her, as she looked up and rolled her eyes.

"Not my kid, not my problem. Besides, you said it yourself. The Relentless aren't around. She'll be fine." Nel kept her hands behind her head.

" _You say that, but you clearly tried your hardest to get her to leave, and you know that not many of us are out in the world."_ The voice countered.

"Torn, I don't really feel like discussing this right now. I'm gonna let her leave without worry." Nel closed her eyes, sighing a bit.

" _I understand, Nel. I'll still keep an eye out on her though. The cub may not know what she is, but she was the one able to tell you were around."_ Torn reminded.

Nel let out a light chuckle. "Just shows that she's learning how to use her heightened sense without having to transform. That's all."

" _As I said before, letting her leave is the best scenario for the girl, but maybe guidance is also another path to take for the cub."_ Torn suggested.

"No. Any of us would bring a danger to her, and you know that. I'll stick with what you first suggested. Letting her leave this place before they show up." Nel responded.

" _I won't try to change your mind, Nel. Hopefully the cub will be able to avoid them."_ Torn said, as Nel nodded, hoping she would be able to.

"Can you get out of my head now? I'm trying to take a nap." After a few moments, she was met with silence, so she sniffled a bit and tried to sleep, but Nel continued thinking of the girl she met a bit ago.

Meeting another of her kind, but also finding out that the girl doesn't even know what she was. It bothered Nel a bit. "You got it lucky, kid… I guess I should continue letting you live that lucky life."

The hawk that was on Nel's shoulder before was on top of the house she was staying in, and it started to fly up as it watched Weiss specifically. It noted her use of glyphs, since Weiss was helping move debris, figuring it was her actual semblance.

" _No doubt about it."_

* * *

 **Finally getting into more of Weiss' kind. Been really wanting to get to this point, so I hope people enjoyed the introduction to the others out in the world that live in secret.** _  
_

 **To JJ- Yang definitely needed that moment, as she has helped others a lot, but she herself has her own demons to face. Luckily the bond she's built with Blake gives her another person to help her deal with her personal issues. Sorry about the cliffhanger last chapter, but I did at least not make it that much of a wait to get to it.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 95. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 96.**


	96. No Amount

**Here's chapter 96, everyone.**

* * *

"Weiss, you doing okay?" Yang asked as she was carrying some wood from a destroyed building to put to the side. "You've been pretty silent since that Nel chick went off to sleep."

The white haired teen sighed. "She spoke to me specifically, Yang. And I still have no idea why. What she kept saying made no sense."

"Well you heard what she said. She was mixed up about you, so I say just ignore the crazy girl." Yang suggested and set down the pieces of wood. "Besides, we're not here for her, we're here for Ren and Nora."

Weiss nodded, focusing back on her glyphs as she used one to carry some concrete pieces away. " _She was only adamant on me leaving, and why did she ask if I can do more than just what my wolf semblance can do…"_

After glancing over her shoulder at the house Nel went into, Weiss shook her head a few times and went back to work, while the hawk watched her, mostly to keep an eye on what she'd do.

" _She's curious. Can't blame the cub, but Nel made her choice already."_

The hawk looked up at the night sky, knowing that it was going to be tough for the group of teens to work on fixing up the village. "Yo, Nora! I fixed up this house over here as much as I could. Need help over there?!"

Nora looked over, popping her head out from the side of another house. "Nah, I'm all good over here! I think Ruby was working on one of the bigger ones, so you should check on her!"

Yang gave her a thumbs up and walked around the destroyed village, cupping her hands around her mouth. "Ruby! Where are you?!"

"Over here!" Her younger sister had called out, and Yang looked to her left, seeing the girl's scythe poking out from the front door of a house as a signal.

The blonde brawler chuckled and walked over, and when she turned the corner, she saw Ruby was inside the broken down home. "You need any help, sis?" Yang offered as she walked over a few pieces of broken glass.

"Hmm, I guess. I don't really have anything to move the glass, and no way am I about to pick it up." Ruby said as she was moving some rocks away from a destroyed bed. "You already finished with your first house?"

"Yeah, there wasn't a lot to really fix up. So I wanted to see if any of you guys needed some help," Yang explained, but she had another reason for talking with Ruby too. "Anyways… You're still a little upset from before, aren't you?"

Ruby stopped moving some of the debris around and sighed, glancing over her shoulder. "Well yeah, that woman kicked Weiss in the stomach. Of course I'm still upset with her."

"Don't get me wrong, seeing that pissed me off too. I honestly wanted to deck her in the face, but I know starting a fight won't help anything… We just gotta do our thing here and leave. No sense worrying about her." Yang said in hopes of getting Ruby to not be as angry.

"It's not exactly comforting to know someone like her is just in one of these houses while we're distracted. And we still have no idea who else is with her around here. Remember what Blake said." Ruby reminded.

"We've been here for almost an hour now, sis. I'm pretty sure if anyone was gonna ambush us, they'd have done it already." Yang pointed out while looking at a picture frame, seeing the picture was missing, more than likely taken by the family to preserve the memory.

Ruby still wasn't happy with Nel. "Well I still don't like it, and besides, she did hurt Weiss, so shouldn't we-."

"Sis, you're letting your feelings for Weiss get in the way. You gotta relax and realize that we really don't need to get involved with that woman." Yang said after placing the picture frame down.

"Ugh, I don't get why you're not mad about this too." Ruby complained as she crossed her arms with a scowl adorned on her face.

Yang sighed and rubbed the back of her head. "Honestly, I thought I'd be the one to stay mad about it the longest, sis. You know how I get sometimes… But y'know Weiss is fine, and that woman won't get in the way."

"That's not the point." Ruby grumbled, and Yang walked over, rubbing her shoulder a few times.

"I know… Trust me, I do. I'd probably be just the same as you right now, but-." Yang stopped herself, thinking of her talk with Blake, so she pressed her hand on the bed, seeing it was sturdy enough to sit on.

Ruby watched her sister sit and pat a spot next to her. "Should we really sit on a messed up bed that could fall at any moment, Yang?"

Yang chuckled. "You calling me fat, sis?" Ruby yelped and gently sat next to Yang, not wanting to accidentally piss her off. "How have you and Weiss been? Y'know, with your relationship?"

"Uh… We've been fine. Why do you ask?" Ruby wondered.

"I don't know, I mean, you're my little sister, so I like to know that the girl you're with is making you happy." Yang smiled, and Ruby blushed a little, thinking about the moments she had with Weiss.

"Y-You don't need to look after me for that, Yang… And besides, we're both happy." Ruby remarked.

Yang wrapped an arm around her, making her pout a bit, since she thought her older sister was treating her like a kid. "I'm kinda jealous of what you have, sis."

Ruby's eyes widened and she slightly turned her head, giving her a dumbfounded and shocked look. "You're jealous of me? What are you talking about, Yang? You're like, way better than me at a lot of stuff."

"Am I?" Yang chuckled and tilted her head back, looking up at the clouds since the roof of the house they were in was gone. "Maybe a few things, but look at you," She looked back at her sister. "You skipped ahead by two years to get into Beacon, and you're the leader of the team… But I think I'm mostly jealous that you managed to find the person in your life you care a lot about."

The older sister Ruby knew wouldn't easily admit something like that, so she scooted away from her and shook her head. "Yang, you're still amazing too! And I know you'll find someone you care-." Ruby's voice started getting muffled by Yang, who had her eyes closed with an annoyed look on her face.

"Ugh… Could you maybe not yell that to the heavens, Rubes…" Yang had a light blush on her cheeks, not wanting the others to know she felt jealous of her little sister for finding love before her.

Ruby nodded a few times, so Yang moved her hand away. "Sorry, but I really mean it. Me and Weiss have known each other forever… Honestly, I was kinda nervous that you and her would end up together one day… I feel bad saying that."

Yang blinked a few times, and a small smile slowly formed as she chuckled. "Wow, I guess we both had something embarrassing to admit there, sis." She sighed happily. "Look, the whole reason I asked about you and Weiss, is just to know how much you really love her."

"There's no amount, Yang… I love her, and that's it." Ruby had no reason to lie.

"Good, cause if you didn't, then maybe I'd have to steal her from you myself. Seeing as she did end up walking into my chest earlier today." Yang said, sticking her tongue out at Ruby in an attempt to get her to not focus on Nel.

Ruby's entire face lit up red and she jumped out of bed. "What?!"

Yang got up as well, holding her arms up in front of her in defense. "Hey, chill out. It was so her fault. Besides, she didn't move away for a few seconds, sooooo, y'know, maybe you should go yell at her for that one."

The shorter and younger sister was full of rage, and she walked out of the house with her blush still red as her cape. "Weiss! Did you seriously motorboat my sister?!"

Weiss' voice was heard next, as the sound of several pieces of concrete hitting the floor was heard. "W-What?! I-I did no such thing!"

Not a moment later, Yang started to laugh, finding it funny that Ruby even knew what that meant, and as she fell back on the bed, it actually ended up collapsing, making her yelp as it broke apart under her.

The blonde brawler groaned a bit, but the sound of Ruby and Weiss bickering made her smile as she sighed, resting her head against the destroyed mattress. "Worth it."

* * *

"Raven, it's okay, really." Willow let out a smile as the two women were in the restaurant, while some people would give Raven confused looks, mostly for her attire. "Just try to enjoy yourself. The food here is fantastic, you'll see."

The black haired huntress mumbled something about high maintenance, and how it wasn't her style, but as she looked at Willow checking the menu, she sighed and decided to just relax. "Fine. I'll just take a steak."

"You don't need to tell me. Hmm," Willow chuckled and gave it a thought. "I'd rather not get too much, so a chicken salad will be enough for me."

Raven hummed, trying not to show much interest, but as Willow was continuing to look at her menu, she noticed that the white haired woman looked different that day. Willow had been able to grow closer to Raven, seeing as the black haired huntress was her instructor, but to Raven, getting close to someone again wasn't at the top of her priority list.

"So, you keep telling me that you're busy a lot. What's been keeping you?" Willow asked as she set the menu down.

"I'm a huntress, so I'm sure you can piece that together." Raven said, her deadpan look earning her an eyeroll.

"Missions are one thing, but sometimes you end up being busy for more days than you'd usually be on a mission for." Willow remarked, as she showed Raven she was paying attention.

Raven simply shrugged. "It depends on how tough they can be, and you should know that it's the only real way for me to make money, which need I remind you is what's paying for our dinner."

"Well I'm sorry for being intrigued by what you're doing, Branwen. Besides, you still need to get ready to take me on a hunt with you." Willow smirked, and Raven crossed her arms.

"You still know that I have no plan on going easy on you." Raven reminded.

"That's fine with me." Willow was up for the challenge, but she took a breath, thinking about something she wanted to talk to Raven about. "About earlier, I really shouldn't have let myself get so angry with you."

Raven shrugged. "I said my own words I shouldn't have, and honestly, the day you finally knock some sense into that man will be a good one."

Willow folded her arms over the table, sighing a little. "Sometimes I feel like I should do it by now, but then other times I'm simply too afraid."

"I don't know why you are. With the training I've put you through, you could easily deal with that moron." Raven repeated.

"Beating people down isn't always the solution, Raven… What he could do in return is what I'm afraid of." Willow shook her head. "Never mind that. I'm not here to complain about my problems. We're going to have a nice dinner."

Raven was surprised that she stopped speaking about that, since it was always something she hated dealing with, but just the fact that she wanted to have a nice dinner with her spoke volumes. "I guess we are… How long do these people take by the way?"

"Hmm, well it depends on the order, but it shouldn't take too long after we hand the waiter our orders." Willow answered.

The black haired huntress was content with that answer, as she wanted to bring Willow somewhere after they had dinner, hoping it wouldn't get too late in the night for the two.

"I was going to ask another question," Raven looked into Willow's eyes. "I get you wanted to get away from talking about the moron, but have you thought about what YOU want to do if you end up dethroning old mustache?"

Willow held back a chuckle at what she called her husband, and she did think about what she could do with the company, and her life if she ever went against Jacques. "I'm not sure to be honest. My Father was the one who started the company, and while I watched him grow the company to what it was, I myself can't say I'm a businesswoman."

"Can't say I blame you. It sounds like a boring job to begin with, but maybe thinking about people who could take over for you might be good to look into." Raven suggested, surprising Willow.

"What's your sudden interest in my family's company, Branwen?" Willow inquired.

It wasn't the company she cared about, but it was how Willow could be happy with her life after overcoming one of the biggest obstacles in her life.

"Nothing really," Raven tilted her head back and brought her arms behind her. "Maybe I'll tell you later."

Willow raised an eyebrow and decided not to pry, so she simply waited for her order to be taken, while smiling a little, since she was actually enjoying herself and their dinner date.

* * *

 **Sorry this chapter is more of a talking chapter. I honestly didn't want to delay things, but at the same time, building up things between Willow and Raven has been on my mind, and Ruby being conflicted on what Nel said is something I also needed to show before getting into it more.**

 **To JJ- So with the enhanced senses, I have no thought on making them overwhelm her. The transformation itself did that once before, and while the senses are started to overlap with her human form, it won't overtake her. Nora is only angry due to where she is, so yeah, luckily Ren is there to keep her calm. As for Weiss and the truth, well, time will tell.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 96. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 97.**


	97. What? Surprised?

**Here's chapter 97, everyone.**

* * *

Winter slashed into another Beowolf, as the two soldiers with her gunned down a Taara, both sighing to themselves about still running into just Grimm in their search. "Ma'am, I'm not sure those tracks are leading us anywhere."

"Your concern isn't being ignored. Honestly it still may be an Ursa Major, but since we haven't run into any, even normal Ursa, we must continue to search." Winter said, keeping an eye out still, even with the Grimm around them dead. "Any word from the other teams yet?"

"The last update was just another Lancer swarm. No Queen as of yet… As for the larger animal sightings, it seems like no one has made any progress."

Winter shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose. "These tracks are all we have to work with, so if they don't end up leading us anywhere, we'll rendezvous with the other teams and set out for one of the other islands."

While the two soldiers had nodded in response, they themselves were just as tired of the mission as Winter was.

The Atlas Specialist was usually able to handle missions that went nowhere, but there was something in the back of her head that made her find the one she was on at the moment uncomfortable.

" _Should I contact the General… He may simply tell me the same thing as before."_

The sounds of leaves rustling caught her attention immediately, so the Atlas Specialist kept her blade at the ready, until she saw the bear that made the tracks. Winter's eyes widened as the bear was quite larger than any she's ever seen in her entire life.

Winter jumped away, gasping as the two soldiers were equally shocked, and the bear roared at them. "M-Ma'am, w-what should we do?" The previous order of not firing at the animals was still in their mind.

The bear swiped at the trees around them, and Winter used her semblance, spawning a wall of glyphs to keep the bear back. "Do not fire at it. Lead it away."

Not hearing her, the bear thrashed around, somewhat out of its own control as it continued hitting the glyphs until one broke. The soldiers with Winter were nervous, but they would listen to her orders as they backed up a bit, since it seemed Winter wanted the bear to be out in more open area.

Another glyph shattered and gave the bear enough space to jump through, so Winter and her soldiers began running back to a clearing they could get to. "It's clearly not going to stop trying to attack us, so while I said not to fire at it, don't let it get close either. Precision hits will work just fine."

"Y-Yes, Ma'am." One of the soldiers was continuing to run, while looking back as he took a shot at the leg of the bear, but when it hit, they noticed the bear had an aura, which wasn't too shocking since animals in the world of Remnant did have an aura.

"It's tough." The female soldier noted, biting her lip as she hoped the bear could be quelled in some way.

The bear knocked another tree down, and Winter shook her head. " _At least we found it… Now to capture it."_

After several minutes of running, they made it to an open enough clearing for Winter to turn around and slam her blade down. A summoning glyph appeared, and a two Ursa Majors appeared.

Winter took a breath, as the cold air around her began to swirl around the Atlas Specialist and her summons. The two Ursa Majors ran at the bear, not to kill it, but to try and hold it down. When both pounced on it, the bear did something shocking to Winter and her two soldiers.

Its body literally gained spikes on it that shot out at the Ursa, impaling them and killing them instantly, as the summoned Grimm dissipated into nothing.

"W-What in the world? That bear just shot spikes out its body… Only things I've seen do that are Grimm." The female soldier commented, as the bear shook a bit, its remaining spikes receding into its body.

Winter examined the bear as much she could. "It doesn't appear to be Grimm… Possibly an Elemental, so keep away from it." She attempted using another summon, that time a swarm of small Nevermore, mostly to keep it distracted as it began swatting at the bird Grimm."

"Maybe we should call in the Knights, Ma'am." The female soldier suggested while keeping her rifled trained on the bear, since they had time to come up with a strategy while the summoned Grimm were pecking at it.

"No need. They'd only get destroyed in an instant." Winter reasoned, as she watched how the bear fought. It was out of control, swinging wildly, until it curled up a bit and shot spikes out of its body again, hitting a few of the Nevermore.

"That thing is crazy. I'm starting to see why they're considered a threat." The male soldier remarked, as more Nevermore were being killed.

Winter tightened her grip on her weapon. "It resorts to using its spikes, but for some reason it isn't trying to overly use them, so it has to have a limit."

"Ma'am, if you keep sending out more of your summons, won't your aura be completely drained?" The female soldier asked in worry, but Winter shook her head.

"Relying only on my summons is not what I plan to do. The way those spikes shoot out," As she said that, the bear used more spikes, which shot out in diagonal lines. "End up going in a diagonal pattern. It has no control or aim."

The soldiers knew what she would suggest, and they gulped.

Winter could see the last two Nevermores being swatted away, so she looked to the two soldiers. "Keep your attacks on it while get in close. Its aura is strong enough to handle your shots."

"What if it ends up running at us?" The male soldier asked.

"As I said, it has no control or aim on its spikes. As long as you can keep away from its claws, judging where the attack will come from should be easy enough." Winter turned back when she heard the last of her Nevermores cry out.

The bear was breathing heavily, even angrier looking at that point since it was tired after being pecked at so much. Winter pointed her blade at it, waiting for it to charge her, and as it did, she used a glyph to jump, and as she flipped over it, she noticed where the spikes receded into its body.

Winter knew when it would curl up was the moment the spikes would shoot out. The bear spun around, surprising Winter as she kept her blade in front of her, blocking the swipe as her aura took the hit, knocking her back.

In response, the bear curled up again, and Winter's eyes widened, since different areas on the bear's body showed where the spikes would shoot out from. Not a moment later, three spikes shot out, directly at the Atlas Specialist, so she slashed at one, knocking it away, while the other two grazed her.

The two soldiers began shooting at the bear, trying to keep it from attacking Winter again. The bear grunted and turned around, growling at the two, but suddenly Winter dashed towards it, slashing its back.

A roar of pain, and several slashed later, the bear was beginning to cry out. Almost like it was begging for her to stop. Winter dodged a swipe, and when it tried curling up to use its spikes, nothing happened, so it fell on its belly, completely worn out.

"You're out of fuel now." Winter said, and the larger than average bear, which was about ten feet tall on just all fours.

"Please," Winter's eyes widened instantly when it spoke. "Please stop… Please don't kill me…"

Before she could respond, the two soldiers ran over, not hearing it beforehand. "Ma'am, is it down?" She aimed her rifle at it.

"Hold your fire." Winter ordered, and she stared at the downed bear. "It spoke… Just before you two ran over." She took a step forward, and the two soldiers were shocked, as they attempted to reach out and stop her, but Winter shrugged them off. "I know what I heard… Did you just speak?"

The bear was silent, as it was weakened from an earlier encounter it had. It was trying to stand, but was too tired, as it lifted its head up, noticing what Winter was wearing. "You're… Not one of them…"

Hearing it speak shocked the two soldiers as they backed up. "It… It really spoke."

Winter glanced over her shoulder at the soldiers. "Keep an eye out for any Grimm, I won't be able to completely defend this area, but for now," She lowered one hand and summoned two Beowolves. "These two will assist you in keeping a perimeter secured."

"Y-Yes, Ma'am." While the idea of a talking animal was shocking, the two soldiers didn't question her orders and kept watch for them.

The Atlas Specialist looked back at the bear and took a breath. "What are you? A bear, or a human? Or even a Faunus? Someone in my life that is very dear to me has a semblance of turning into an animal, so a talking bear doesn't shock me as much as others."

After she said that, the bear stopped shaking and stared at Winter. "You… Know someone like me?"

"Like you? Explain." Winter waited.

"Being human… Being able to be one." The bear's voice was actually feminine, and how it described herself, Winter wasn't sure what it meant.

"I don't think you understand what I said. The person I know is my sister, and she has the ability to become a wolf with her semblance." Winter explained.

The bear's ears drooped a little. "Oh… So not like me…"

Winter sighed in response. "Why did you attack us? You're begging to not be killed, but you struck first." The Atlas Specialist took a moment to realize what she was doing. " _I can't believe I'm interrogating a bear."_

"I-I thought you were one of them… The Relentless." The bear answered, as she was shaking again by just saying the name of the group she was afraid of.

"The Relentless? And who exactly are they?" Winter inquired.

A question that truly made the bear shiver, as she didn't wish to recount The Relentless. "Horrible people… They hunt my kind down. Only because of what we can do. Please… Please tell me they didn't send you."

Winter was taken aback. A group of people hunting down animals that could talk. It seemed like she was dreaming, so she sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Listen, this Relentless group, I know nothing about them. All I know is that there have been reports of large and dangerous animals roaming different parts of Mistral."

"Dangerous?" The bear repeated, as she slowly got up, but barely as the two soldiers were alerted and aimed their rifles at her from a distance, but Winter raised her hand to stop them from shooting. "I was defending myself just then… Other than that, my kind is not dangerous…"

"Why should I believe you? You're a ten foot tall bear, that can talk, and you're telling me a group of people hunt you." Winter crossed her arms.

The bear lowered her head, only to get back down on its belly. "There's nothing I can say that would convince you… The Relentless want me and others like me dead."

"And why exactly?" Winter inquired.

"I don't know!" The two soldiers almost pulled the triggers on their rifles, but Winter was quick enough to use glyphs to bind their arms. "All I know, is they're the ones that are dangerous… They killed my friends… The one I love is out there because we got separated… Because of them."

Winter felt like she was going to have a headache, and she looked around. "There doesn't seem to be any Grimm around us… Clearly there is a place for you to hide, so where would that be exactly?"

"Hide… I hide in plain sight," The bear got up again, albeit slowly as she focused on her aura. "I don't have a lot of aura left… So I can only do this once, but I would like for you to please look away, and… Do you have any extra clothes?"

The question confused Winter. "Why would you need to ask for that?"

After a few moments, the bear let out a light chuckle, so she shook her head. "Never mind… Unless your sister has to go through the same thing as me, then I'd suggest you look away."

Winter's eyes widened as the bear's body shined, and she covered her eyes, but as she did, the thought of Weiss filled her mind. Not only did she know the light that covered the bear, what she had said was also another point of information Winter knew about.

A moment later, a woman with long brown hair was where the bear was, and she was covering her body with her arms, as the two soldiers gasped in shock. The female soldier covered the male soldier's eyes, as Winter was still.

She couldn't believe what she had seen. A bear becoming a human, but it wasn't because of that reason alone. It was because she did exactly what her little sister would do when she used her 'semblance'.

The Atlas Specialist took her jacket off and walked over, as the brown haired woman fell on her knees, so Winter threw it over her, as the woman chuckled lightly. "What? Surprised?" She laughed a little more until she fell to her side, and Winter, as well as the two soldiers were in utter shock.

* * *

 **I usually like to swap between characters in chapters, but here was all about Winter and her discovery of yet another Shifter. Someone she's going to learn a little more about soon enough. Hope the single scene in this chapter was something you can all enjoy as opposed to when I swap between others.  
**

 **To JJ- White Rose moments are indeed worth it, but at the same time, I have other hardships for Weiss to deal with, and her senses taking over isn't gonna be one of them. As for Raven, she knows what Willow wants, and we'll just have to see how much of Raven's advice Willow will take. And with Yang, well she has her own insecurities she's able to talk about, but hey, we know one certain cat Faunus that wants to be close to her after all.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 97. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 98.**


	98. You're Lying

**Here's chapter 98, everyone.**

* * *

Weiss' hair was a mess, as she and Ruby ended up having a small comedical spat, so she stomped over to Yang, glaring daggers at the blonde brawler. "I. Will. End. You." Yang blinked a few times, taking note of Weiss' messed up hair.

"Huh, didn't think Rubes would pull on your hair… Uh, you okay?" Yang asked, as Weiss was breathing heavily in anger.

"She jumped on me and started questioning why I motorboated you… She managed to accidentally pulled off my tiara, you jerk!" Weiss' hair was let down at that point, and she kept her death stare on the blonde girl.

Yang chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of her head. "S-Sorry, Weiss… I was just trying to cheer her up is all."

That instantly snapped Weiss out of her anger. "Cheer her up? What do you mean?" She looked back where Ruby was, hoping her girlfriend wasn't trying to keep anything from her.

"Oh, uh, well that Nel chick. When she kicked you in the stomach, you saw how pissed off she was." Yang reminded, and Weiss did notice that. "It was bugging her, so I just wanted to try and help her keep her mind off it."

Weiss sighed. "Well you didn't need to say I motorboated you... Which didn't even happen!" The white haired teen blushed, and Yang chuckled a little. "Ugh… Oaf, though I guess that would keep her from being overly worried."

"Girlfriend gets kicked in the stomach, can't say I blame her for being upset. Maybe you should go talk to her though. Y'know, without her thinking you were all up in my chest." Yang winked.

"You're annoying… You know that?" Weiss deadpanned.

Yang let out a light smile and leaned her hand over, patting Weiss on the head. "Just doing my job of making sure you guys aren't so moody all the time."

Weiss swatted her hand away and rolled her eyes. "Uh huh, sure, that's the reason for trying to torment me… But still, I suppose I should thank you for cheering her up. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll speak with her on my own terms, thank you very much."

"Good luck, Ice Wolf." Yang gave her a thumbs up, and Weiss groaned, turning on her boot to walk over to her girlfriend, while Yang was still smiling, only for her to sigh a bit after lowering her hand. "Still wish I had what you two have."

She began walking back over to one of the other destroyed houses, feeling like she should do something to occupy her time, but as she looked up at the night sky, she wondered if they should even be up at this point.

Instead of choosing to work, Yang made her way back to the others. "Hey, you guys thinking we should maybe set up camp, or even head back to the airship? It's pretty late after all."

Nora and Ren looked a bit happier, since the group had decided to fix up the village. "Yes, that sounds like a good idea. The airship would be best, since I don't believe we brought camping equipment with us." Ren reminded.

"Sleeping in an airship is fine with me!" Nora said in her returned chipper voice. "Oh, and… Thank you guys for fixing up Kuroyuri. Ruby told us it was Jaune's idea, but you guys did pitch in too."

Yang grinned. "No problem. We'll still help out tomorrow too."

Nora smiled and squeezed Ren's hand, but then she gasped, seeing Nel walking out of the house she had slept in, and she was rubbing her back a few times. "You kids still here? Sheesh, what are you even here for anyways?"

Ren spoke up to answer. "We came here to pay respects, and our friends wanted to help fix the village up a bit, so we'll still be here for a bit longer."

Nel didn't like the sound of that, as she looked up, searching for a certain bird. She sighed when she didn't see it, and shook her head. "You kids are just gonna get in the way. Honestly, this place is rubble, so what's the point in fixing it now?"

Yang crossed her arms, not liking how she was trying to step on their attempts. "You say we'd get in the way, but we're not gonna, so look, just relax already okay."

The woman turned to look at Yang, and she raised an eyebrow as she looked her up and down. "Uh huh, well you can say you won't get in the way all you want, but when the time comes and you're still here-."

"What exactly are you even doing here?" Blake suddenly asked, as she walked over, having listened in the whole time.

Nel glanced over her shoulder, noticing the girl walking over. "I feel like telling you would basically make you get in the way, just like I said you kids would if you don't leave soon."

"We've been over this before," Blake reminded. "Whatever you and your group is doing here has nothing to do with us, so what makes this place so special to you."

"Set up is nice to keep when you got it locked down, so leaving this spot would put more work on me and the people I work with." Nel explained, and she glanced over at Ren and Nora. "You said you wanted to pay respects… Well, I'm sorry if we shouldn't be here, but for the time being, we gotta use this place to our advantage."

Nora growled a little. "Use this place? Do you have any idea how many people were killed here?"

"No, but sometimes you gotta let the past go, kid. Especially when more dangers can and will show up to take more lives away," Nel looked around. "Just like how this place was taken."

"If you're not leaving this place, then why tell us to leave?" Ren asked, not letting her words phaze him.

"Well, one is so that you kids won't get in the way, and two… Is because in the end, you're kids. Teenagers. Getting caught up in something that could take your life, it isn't exactly good for my conscience if the worst ends up happening." Nel explained.

Yang spoke up after that. "We're all from Beacon Academy, training to be huntresses and huntsmen, so we'll be out there risking our lives."

The way she spoke was more out of pride, showing Nel she didn't scare easily. "Hunters… You know, you'll find out one day that Grimm aren't the worst threat out there." She said as she spotted the bird, so she whistled to it.

As the hawk heard her whistle, it flew down and landed on her shoulder. "If you're talking about people, we know the kinds of danger they too can bring." Blake said, mostly because of the White Fang.

"Maybe so, but think about how you all are being trained to kill Grimm… Are you willing to kill people too, just to defend yourselves?" Nel's question was an uneasy kind, as the four around her tensed up.

Blake herself had her fair share of fighting people, but killing was something else entirely.

"I can tell by your silence, that you'd all probably hesitate. And that's why people are a bigger threat than the Grimm can be sometimes." Nel turned around, as the bird leaned next to her ear. After a few moments, she looked towards a certain direction.

Yang and Blake paid close attention to that, and they both realized that was the direction Weiss and Ruby were. Blake figured that from when she walked over and saw Ruby speaking with Weiss, and Yang knew from seeing Weiss heading off to find Ruby.

"Are you kids gonna listen to my warnings or not…" Nel asked, a little quieter, but enough for them to still hear.

"Not until you tell us the real reason why we should." Yang responded.

Nel sighed and looked to the bird. The hawk flew up and landed on a building, as it looked at the group. Blake, Yang, Ren and Nora looked up at it in return, wondering what is was even doing.

" _You four wish to know more about us?"_

All four of them gasped, hearing a voice in their head as Nel chuckled a bit. "Yeah, he's a little annoying when he suddenly pops in your head like that, huh?" The four Beacon students stared at the woman in shock, as the bird continued to speak.

" _Don't be afraid, this is simply my semblance."_

"What? You?" Nora pointed at Nel, who shook her head a few times, and she pointed up at the bir, and all four gave her unconvinced looks.

"Haha, you kids should know that animals have aura too." Nel reminded, and while that much was true, an animal with a semblance, and one that could talk was not something they believed was possible, well, except for the one person they all knew.

Yang's eyes widened. "Wait, is he like Weiss?"

Nel let out a grin. "If you mean the white haired girl, then in a way he is. Torn, you wanna show them, or stay like that? Oh, and stick to not using your semblance."

The hawk sighed. "I would rather not, but seeing as these kids are familiar with this form of power, then I suppose it won't hurt."

Nora blinked a few times. "Y'know… Seeing Weiss talking when she's a wolf makes this not as mind blowing to me… But man, that bird is talking to us."

Nel rolled her eyes. "Good job on pointing out the obvious there."

Torn shook his head a few times. "Nel, leave them be. You know as well as I do, that not many know of us. Honestly, this kind of reaction is much more welcoming than what we've had to deal with before."

"Any reaction is better than the kind where bullets end up flying at us, you old bird." Nel deadpanned.

"Hey!" Yang yelled, getting their attention. "What in the hell are you two even talking about? Seriously, I've been pretty patient with you," She pointed at Nel. "So just spill it already."

Torn spoke up before Nel could retort with something that would make the blonde angrier. "Your friend, she is…" He decided in that moment not to reveal it. "Is similar to what Nel and myself are. We are shape shifters, animals that have the power to become human."

The four Beacon students felt like they heard that wrong. "Wait, don't you mean humans that can become animals?" Nora tried correcting.

Nel had a smug grin on her face. "Nope. He meant exactly what he said."

"What you're saying is impossible." Blake remarked. "Animals have no such power. They may have aura, but it-."

"Aura is a source of energy, at least for your semblances. Think for a second. What happens if an animal is able to tap into that source of energy?" Nel questioned.

The thought was still very hard to believe, and Ren spoke up. "From the time it takes to really master using aura, semblances are manifested, but here you are telling us this… Man can use a semblance to speak with us through our minds."

"That's the kicker, we didn't manifest a semblance to become human. Honestly, it still kinda confuses me… One day I'm in a forest, living the same boring life, waiting to be killed by something bigger than me… Then the next moment I'm on two feet, feeling more alive than ever." Nel explained.

Yang took a step back, thinking more about Weiss. "Hold on… So… You were just some animal in the forest? But… But look at you? You're talking like a person, walking, standing… How can-."

"You got a pet?" Nel's question was a curveball, and Yang hesitated for a moment before she nodded. "Think about how a pet eventually learns when its name is called, or when you tell it that's food is ready."

"They learn…" Blake finished for her, and the revelation was dawning on the four.

"We learned… We eventually accepted the gift of being human. Joining you all in the world, as best we could, but… Some people don't exactly like that." Nel clenched her fist.

Torn spoke up at that point. "The Relentless… A group of hunters that dedicate their lives to killing our kind."

The group was silent for a bit, and Yang stomped over to Nel, grabbing her by the shirt collar, but the woman was unfazed, while Blake, Nora and Ren were surprised by Yang's action.

"You're lying…" Yang said in a darker tone than she'd usually use, as Nel sighed, shaking her head a few times. "I don't give a damn what you say. You're implying that one of my best friends that I've known for years is an animal?"

Nel's eyes widened, and she slowly closed them, since Yang had figured it out before the others. "I guess you know then, huh?"

"I don't know a damn thing because you're lying," Yang shoved her against one of the houses. "She's not a damn animal. So don't ever fucking imply that, or I'll-."

"Yang?" Weiss' voice made everyone except Nel turn, as she was standing a bit away with Ruby in hand. "What's going on?"

* * *

 **Sorry for ending it there. Anyways, now the others are suspicious/in denial in Yang's case. Not much else to say here, so hope the next chapter will be worth the wait for how this one ended.  
**

 **To JJ- Yeah I needed more interactions with Winter and one of the shifters. Now that she's more involved, you'll get to see more of the reason as to why I have her becoming more of a key part to this story. Obviously she was gonna play some part before, but now I know what I want her to really get to do.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 98. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 99.**


	99. Hidden

**Here's chapter 99, everyone.**

* * *

"Yang, what are you doing? You just told me a bit ago that we shouldn't need to worry about this woman…" Ruby reminded.

The blonde brawler backed up from Nel, looking away from her sister and Weiss as she glanced at Nel, seeing her smirk. "It's nothing, Ruby… Just got a little mad is all. My fault."

Weiss let go of Ruby's hand and walked over, since Nel was already someone that ticked her off. "What did you say to her?" Her question was directed at Nel, and the woman sighed, not saying a word. "I know for a fact that Yang wouldn't just get angry that easily." She said, knowing full well that her blonde friend was working on controlling her anger.

Yang didn't look at Weiss directly, since she felt ashamed for getting angry, and Nel shrugged. "I don't know any of you, but that girl clearly just got mad pretty damn easily. Besides, it doesn't matter what I said."

"And why is that?" Weiss questioned, while Ruby was standing behind her, looking annoyed with Nel.

"Because apparently I'm a liar." Nel answered as she glanced over at Yang, who was looking away. "Go on and tell her, kid. What am I lying about?"

Yang bit her lip and her eyes were red again. "Weiss, don't listen to this woman. And Ruby, I stand by what I said. Stay away from this woman." She walked past the group, but a glyph appeared in front of her, stopping the blonde, so she turned back as her eyes turned back to its lilac shade. "W-What are you doing, Weiss?"

"You're avoiding telling me what happened…" Weiss stated, so she turned to Blake. "You were here when Yang got angry… What happened, Blake?"

Blake's ears drooped, as she didn't know if she could get involved, since Yang clearly didn't want Weiss to hear what Nel had said. "I… What she's saying isn't making sense to any of us, Weiss, so honestly Yang's right. We should just stay out of her way."

Weiss didn't look convinced, and she decided to just speak to Nel directly. "Tell me what you said. Right now."

"No beating around the bushes, huh?" Weiss said nothing, and Nel sighed as she had a softer expression on her face. "Your friend is angry because I'm implying you're like me."

"Like you? In what way exactly?" Weiss questioned, and Yang walked over, trying to grab her arm, but Weiss moved away in time. "Yang! I am not in the mood for this… Let me hear what this woman has to say."

"You don't need to! She's lying…" Yang tried convincing her, as she remembered how in pain Weiss was when learning the truth about not being a Schnee.

In response, Ruby walked over. "Yang…"

"Ruby, this is the kind of stuff that'll hurt her more. You really want that?" Yang questioned, and Ruby tensed up, while Weiss stomped her foot.

"Enough! Don't talk like I'm not even here, Yang!" Weiss yelled, while Blake, Ren and Nora were awkwardly watching the whole exchange, and Nel shook her head.

"You kids need to calm down and relax with your negative emotions. If you're really from Beacon, you should know Grimm are attracted to that stuff." Nel reminded, as Weiss was still keeping her ground, and Yang was biting her lip again.

Ruby on the other hand couldn't stay quiet and got in front of Weiss. "We do know, but my sister just told me that you might say something to Weiss that'll hurt her." She grabbed Crescent Rose and had it changed into its scythe form.

Nel didn't flinch. "If you're trying to threaten me-."

"I'm not, I'm defending her. All you've done to us is distract us, hurt Weiss, and complain that we'd get in the way." Ruby recounted. "Nothing you've done makes me see you as an ally, or even a civilian, so either you tell us why you're here, or leave this place."

"I already told those four about what's really going on… Torn, get down here and get these kids off my back. My patience has run thin." Nel said and turned to walk back into the house she was sleeping in before.

One of Weiss' glyphs stopped her, and she groaned, tilting her head back as she lifted her left foot off the ground, only to turn and bring it back down. She lowered her head to meet Weiss' gaze. "Right, you still want me to talk… Can't settle for the old bird instead, huh?"

"You said no more beating around the bush… Tell me. Now." Weiss ordered, and Nel looked to Torn, who had no helpful words to give.

Nel closed her eyes for a moment, nodding a few times. "When I said you're like me, I mean that you can change into an animal. Or, the real thing you can do is change into a human." Weiss' hand lowered, and with it, her glyph dropped.

"Excuse me?" Weiss had no idea what that woman was telling her.

"You. And Me. We weren't born like the rest of these people," Nel glanced up at Torn. "Ya see him, the bird? He's like us too."

Weiss' heart started to race, as she glanced up at the hawk on one of the houses.

"We were born as animals, and we have the gift of becoming human… How else do you think you can use two… 'semblances'?" Nel questioned with air quotes, and nothing on her face was saying that she was lying or trying to trick her.

"T-That's not real… Animals can't transform into humans. What you're saying it basically magic, and magic isn't real." Weiss exclaimed.

Nel sighed again. "I wish I could show you the entire history of who we are, kid… I really do, but even I don't know why we can do this."

Yang spoke up. "Weiss, this woman is crazy. Just ignore her."

Ruby was taken aback by what Nel just told her girlfriend, and Weiss froze on the spot, as she was beginning to think about her 'semblance'. "Weiss, let's just go. Yang is right. We can't just believe everything this woman is telling us. We don't even know her."

Torn flew down at that point. And the two girls who knew nothing about his semblance was suddenly hearing a voice in their heads.

" _I'm sorry for how Nel explains this to you all…"_

Weiss and Ruby gasped, while the others were still slightly startled. "W-Who said that?"

Nel pointed at the bird. "That would be Torn. Now if you don't want to hear it from me, hear it from someone who knows even more."

Torn looked up at Weiss, and decided to fly up a bit, hovering a few feet in front of her.

" _I can tell how confused you all are. It's obvious that what my friend here says sounds unbelievable to you all, but clearly, as you can see, I am using my semblance to speak with you all, and not only that, I use my shapeshifting ability to stay in this form. You have those same abilities."_

Weiss took a step back, and what he said was true. She could be a wolf, and use glyphs. "I-I wasn't born an animal. Maybe we have similar semblances, but-."

"Kid, he literally just explained that your shapeshifting ability is just that. An ability, not a semblance. Get that through your head, cause you ain't some special snowflake that can manifest two semblances." Nel said in an annoyed tone.

Ruby swung her scythe at her, but stopped short at her neck, actually getting a slight reaction from her, as Ruby glared. "Shut. Up."

Torn sighed as he watched Nel take a step back.

" _Please forgive her… She's not very patient, but what she says is the truth. You aren't gifted with two semblances."_

As he said that, Weiss' eyes widened. "L-Look, just because I can do two things with my aura, doesn't mean I was born as an animal. My mother-." She stopped herself. Everything froze for a moment around her, as she suddenly remembered what Willow told her.

" **I'm not your birth Mother."**

Weiss was beginning to shake, and she slowly started to take in what Nel and Torn were telling her.

" _Your Mother, whoever she is… Could have lied to you."_

After Torn said that, Weiss' world shattered, and she slowly turned to Nel, who had a somber look to her. "I'm sorry, kid… I guess you just never knew, but it's the truth."

"No… No…" Weiss started to tear up, more of her life was beginning to show, and she started to back away from the woman. Ruby quickly grabbed her arm, shocking Weiss as she wanted to leave.

"SHE ISN'T AN ANIMAL!" Ruby yelled. "Don't tell her what she is! Weiss is a human being, and not you or some stupid bird will tell her otherwise!"

Torn stayed silent, since accepting the truth was almost impossible for the group, While Nel slammed her fist back into a wall. "You want me to prove it?!" Suddenly her body was enveloped in light, and Torn gasped as he flew up on a roof.

The Beacon students shielded their eyes, while Weiss' heart raced even faster. It was the exact same light that enveloped her when she became a wolf. Not a moment later, the woman that was in front of them was a eight foot tall wolverine.

Weiss was shaking even more so. "You see this? This is what you are, kid… You are a Hidden."

The six students were in shock, as they had never seen a wolverine that size before. "H-Hidden?" Weiss repeated, and Nel rolled her eyes.

"Yes. It is who we are. Animals, given the gift of becoming humans… Now you know, and what else I will tell you is this, people out in the world, a certain group," Nel growled. "They will hunt you down and kill you."

Ruby's silver eyes were wider than ever, at the thought of someone trying to hunt Weiss down filled her mind. "W-What?"

Torn spoke up next.

" _Nel speaks of The Relentless, a group of hunters who will stop at nothing to kill us Hidden. Sadly those who are marked by a special semblance they possess can do nothing but wait until they are killed… But you… You are from Beacon, someone who can pass your ability off as a semblance. You can live safely."_

Weiss was tearing up, as everything they were saying wasn't a lie to her. The only reason she believed it, was because of Willow telling her that she wasn't her birth Mother, and that her birth Mother was the reason why she can be a wolf in the first place.

Ruby bit her lip. "H-How is what you're saying even possible?"

Torn had a somber look as he stared down at the group, choosing not to use his semblance. "It has always been a mystery… Animals have aura, and only a small percentage of us tapped into that aura. It didn't give us semblances, but the ability to transform into humans."

Weiss fell to her knees, and Ruby gasped as she caught her. "Weiss!"

"I… I'm… Just an animal?" Weiss' tears fell even more, and Ruby hugged her as hard as she could, while glaring at the bird.

"She's not like you… She is not…" Ruby refused to let them get to Weiss, but sadly nothing she could say would change Weiss' new knowledge on the fact.

"The kid doesn't need to be…" Nel suddenly said, and Weiss, with the tears still falling down her face looked up, seeing Nel looking at her with a smile. "You've lived a long time without knowing… So what does it matter now? Keep on living as a human. Forget us Hidden."

Blake and Yang got in front of their teammates, while Ren and Nora knelt down by Weiss and Ruby. "If you want her to forget you people, then leave. We don't want excuses why you can't." Yang's red eyes appeared as she had a death glare on the wolverine. "Just leave."

Nel thought about it for a moment, and when she looked to Torn, he simply nodded. "Alright… I'll guess we'll leave, but you're making it harder on us." She then focused on Weiss. "Kid, if you want even more proof, I can only guess you must know that you can change your size as an animal… And maybe at some point in your life you lost control of yourself…"

Weiss tensed up, since both things happened to her.

"Just from how you reacted, that's a yes… And I know one other thing, the senses you've gained." Nel said, and Weiss remembered that she could smell scents even stronger as a human, just like she could as a wolf. "Heightened senses have carried over into your human form, but again, it doesn't matter."

Ruby and Yang wanted to shut her up, but Weiss spoke up before either could. "The Relentless…" Torn and Nel were surprised she brought it up. "Were they the reason… Why my birth Mother had to give me up…"

Ren and Nora were shocked by that revelation, and the rest of Team RWBY froze on the spot, as Weiss stared directly at Nel, wanting the one answer she needed to know.

Why her birth Mother had to abandon her.

* * *

 **Some would say chapter 100 should be the one where she learns the truth, but think of this as part one of learning it, and chapter 100 is what comes next. So with that, it begins her views on herself and those around her beginning in chapter 100.  
**

 **To JJ- While it would be nice for Weiss to not be told about her past, and be in pain because of it, the plot must move on, and seeing as chapter 100 is next, I can say comfortably that it's time. Now we wait and see just how she will handle knowing the truth, and what that means for the others too.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 99. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 100!**


	100. Oh No

**Here's chapter 100, everyone!  
**

 **I'll keep this short. I'm happier than ever to post this. This is the second chapter 100 of a story I have been able to post. I'll talk more on it down below as I don't wanna take up any more of your time.  
**

* * *

Nel thought about what Weiss asked and had only one thing to say. "Your Mother? Well, sorry, but I don't even know who your Mother-."

"Her name is Lazuria Okami." Weiss interrupted, and Torn froze, as Nel raised an eyebrow. "My Mother, Willow Schnee, she told me that when I was born, my birth Mother couldn't keep me…" Weiss slowly got up, as she wiped her tears away, with Ruby holding her arm still.

"That sounds like a rough thing to deal with, but again, I don't know her. A name like that is something I wouldn't forget." Nel said while still in her wolverine form.

Weiss looked down, saddened by that answer, while Torn spoke to her, and only her.

" _Do not let the others know I am speaking with you."_

Hearing that did startle Weiss a bit, but she kept her composure, knowing Torn was speaking with her, so she continued speaking with Nel like he wasn't talking to her. "What you said… Is it all really true? Was I really born as an… Animal?"

Nel sighed. "Yes, but you don't have to live like us. So forget what you learned today." Nel shrunk down a bit, and as she did, she entered one of the houses.

Not a moment later, light flashed from inside the house. Weiss knew what she was doing, and instead of waiting on the woman, she pulled away from Ruby, as she felt like no one was around her.

Ruby on the other hand refused to let her go, as she tried catching up to Weiss as she walked off. Blake gave Yang a concerning look, and the blonde shook her head. "This is messed up…"

Ren and Nora were equally concerned, since not only was something like that dropped on Weiss, but also learning that she wasn't a Schnee was something they didn't expect to hear. "Should… Should we talk to her?" Nora asked.

"She won't hear us…" Blake stated, and Yang knew that was the truth. "You both didn't know, but as you heard, Weiss is adopted, and after her mom told her, she was crushed."

"So hearing something like this would make her shut down entirely," Ren assumed, and Blake simply nodded.

After a few moments of silence, Nel walked out of the house, back in her human form, fully clothed as she heard what they said. "I didn't want to tell you kids, but you wouldn't just leave it alone."

Yang growled. "Do you even hear yourself? Honestly. That girl you just made walk off, she's been my best friend for years, and all her life, just like my little sister is to become a huntress to help people. Yet here you are, telling her that her life is a fucking lie!"

"I only told her the truth. She doesn't need to change anything about her life just because she knows what she is now." Nel stated as she crossed her arms. "What you do with information is what affects a person."

Nora chose to speak up at that point next. "Your attitude isn't helping anyone here. So why don't you do what Yang said, and leave. You're not welcomed here."

"Hmm." Nel shrugged and walked away from them, but she glanced over her shoulder. "A word of advice… Out there, in the world, make sure that if your friend is going to use her ability, to not reveal she also has a semblance. At least then she'll be able to live a safer life."

With that, Nel left, while Blake and Yang were keeping that in mind, since they now knew people would be out there hunting the kind of person Weiss was.

* * *

"Where exactly are we going?" Willow asked while following Raven, and the black haired huntress was making sure that where she was taking Willow wasn't going to be too dangerous for her.

"Just wait and you'll see. Also, keep back when I tell you. Got it?" Raven ordered, and Willow was a little concerned when hearing that.

"Raven… What do you mean by keeping back?" Willow asked, as they got closer to the snow covered forest that were close to the mountains of Atlas. "And you know that I could've paid for the ride here. You paid for dinner."

The black haired huntress shrugged. "It's fine, and by keeping back, I mean be on the lookout. Grimm could be in the area we'll be going to."

"Grimm? But I thought you told me you wouldn't take me on your hunts until I disarmed you." Willow reminded.

"I only agreed to take you on one IF you disarm me, not when, and this isn't a hunt, but at the same time, if Grimm end up being around, I expect you to listen." Raven said, and Willow's heart was beating a little faster, as she never saw a Grimm up close before.

While she did want to join Raven on a hunt, the idea of just randomly, and pretty much out of nowhere going somewhere that Grimm could be was a bit frightening. "O-Okay."

"Relax. I've been around that area before. The worst there are simple Beowolves, so as long as you keep your aura up and listen to everything I say, you'll be fine." Raven assured.

Willow felt trusting of her, so she let out a small smile and took a breath, seeing the cold air in front of her. "I understand, Raven."

"Good." Raven continued leading Willow to the snow covered forest, and as they got close, she stopped. "Okay, before we go in, I need to know you're comfortable with doing this. Because if you'd rather not run into Grimm, we can just go back."

"No, we already made it out here, and I trust you enough to know I won't be hurt." Willow continued to smile, and Raven let out a light blush, so she simply nodded and began walking into the forest, keeping an eye out for any Grimm, while the sound of snow crunching under their boots was heard.

Willow was focusing on keeping her aura up, since a sneak attack would at least be repelled by it. "I've only ever been in one forest before… And it wasn't this one. The trees always look the same though."

"I can't imagine dead trees would look any different from each other." Raven replied, and as she continued leading Willow around, she noticed a white furred rabbit was hiding away, and decided not to up and kill it for food, since she was with Willow.

Because of that, Willow noticed it and smiled. "Hey, little one." Raven internally groaned, wishing she did take the chance to kill it as soon as Willow was cooing at it.

The small rabbit gently hopped over, sniffing at Willow's hand for a moment after she knelt down, and the white haired woman smiled. Before she could do anything, a branch broke and the rabbit ran back into a hole, as Willow got up and looked around.

Raven held her hand up, signaling Willow to stay still, and she glanced over, seeing that it was simply a deer. "No need to get antsy… Also, don't forget that I also don't have my sword on me, so you need to swear you'll listen to what I tell you to do."

"I'm not an idiot, Raven. I'll run if I need to." Willow assured.

"Running isn't the only thing I'd want you to do. Supporting me with your semblance is also an option." Raven stated, and Willow was surprised by that.

"I can't exactly make that many though." Willow reminded.

The black haired huntress smirked. "I think you'll do fine. Now let's go."

As Willow sighed, she looked back at the little rabbit, seeing that it was safe in the hole, so she smiled and began following Raven again.

* * *

Weiss was sitting in one of the houses, while Ruby was standing near her. "Weiss, you still don't really know if what they're saying is true. It could all be a lie, and maybe they're just people with two semblances. Nothing is impossible."

The white haired teen looked destroyed, and she let out a light, yet somber chuckle. "Nothing is impossible… Meaning I really could have been born an animal, Ruby…"

Ruby frowned and wrapped arms around Weiss' head, holding her close as the white haired girl closed her eyes, burying her face in Ruby's chest. "So what? Even if you were, nothing changes who you are now."

" _You have a good friend."_

Torn had said to Weiss with his semblance, and instead of recoiling from him speaking, she said nothing as she knew he'd speak to her.

" _I'm very sorry. Because for your whole life, you had no knowledge of who you truly were. Lazuria's little cub."_

Weiss' eyes shot open, but she didn't move, since Torn had asked of her to not let anyone know he was talking to her.

" _I know you have a lot of questions, and while I am happy to answer them, know I can only tell you what I know. And the most important is that I do know… Or I did know your Mother, but sadly she was marked by The Relentless."_

"Everything will be okay, Weiss." Ruby's voice interrupted, and as Weiss felt her girlfriend, stroking her hair. "I promise."

"Ruby," Weiss gently pulled away, as she had tears in her eyes from Torn telling her that the Relentless had marked her birth Mother for death. "I… I can't become a wolf ever again…"

Hearing that, Ruby gasped and shook her head. "N-No, that's not fair to you, Weiss. You spent your life with that, and I told you that nothing will change because of this."

" _In the end, it's your choice what you do with your ability, just know that your Mother is still alive…"_

Weiss' entire body froze, and Ruby noticed how she reacted. "Weiss? Weiss, what's wrong?"

" _Tell her."_

"T-The bird… He… He knows my Mother, my birth Mother." Weiss got up from the bed and walked out of the house as she looked for Torn. "Where are you?! Where is she?!"

Ruby was taken aback by the suddenness of her girlfriend's outburst. "Weiss, calm down. Who are you even yelling at?" She asked as Torn flew down in front of them, and Ruby yelped as she almost fell back. "Gah!"

"You! Tell me… Tell me what happened, now!" Weiss yelled, and the others were at that point hearing her, so they started making their way over.

Torn sighed. "Your Mother is alive, and while I wish I could tell you where she is, I don't truly know. She moves from place to place, keeping The Relentless back."

"When did you last see her then?" Weiss questioned, and Ruby was listening in, wanting to support her girlfriend. "Don't keep anything from me, or I swear-."

"I have nothing to hide." Torn assured. "Your Mother told me she had a child, but to actually run into you in this big world of ours… I should count myself lucky." He was smiling as much as a hawk could smile. "If I see her, I'll be able to tell her the kind of person you are."

"No." Weiss said, and both Torn and Ruby were surprised. "I don't want you telling her anything… My Mother, my birth Mother had to give me up because she was marked, right?" Torn nodded. "Then I'd only get in the way… So keep what you saw of me today to yourself."

Ruby frowned and placed her hand on Weiss' shoulder. "Weiss, this guy might be able to help you meet the person who gave birth to you. Why wouldn't you want that?"

Weiss rubbed her eyes, as a few tears she couldn't control fell. "Because… I have a family already… And because I'd just be a burden to her. It's why she had to give me up…"

Torn shook his head. "You were never a burden to Lazuria. The pain in her heart was there, and she truly wished to raise you, to be in your life, but she didn't want The Relentless to mark you. She did it to protect you."

Yang was leading Blake, Ren and Nora over as she noticed the bird. "Hey, what the hell are you telling her that she's yelling?"

"Don't start, Yang." Weiss demanded without looking over.

Ruby looked to her sister, shaking her head a few times, so the blonde brawler sighed and waited to see what Torn would say. "I wish I could help your Mother more than I have, but she herself does not wish to stay in one place for too long. She believes she is the burden, not you."

Weiss reached up to her wolf pendant, as she felt Ruby holding her hand as tight as she could, showing she was with her in whatever Weiss would want to do with the information. "I still… Don't wish for her to know that you saw me…"

Torn was saddened by that, but he would respect her wishes. "Very well. I won't say a word."

"Thank you…" Weiss silently said, as Blake and Yang walked closer to her, and she let her tears flow freely at that point.

"Weiss," Ruby's gentle voice made her girlfriend turn to look at her. "I want you to know that I'll never let your life change. No matter what I have to do, I'll keep you living the way you want to."

The white haired girl was still crying, as she simply embraced Ruby, needing her close, while Yang rubbed her shoulder, and Blake kept close to her team, knowing how hard things would be for them with the new information of Weiss' true life.

Torn flew up a bit, and began trying to use his semblance to speak with Nel.

" _Nel, I know you're upset about having to move out, but we need to respect these kids' wishes… Nel?"_

After a few moments of not responding, Torn's eyes widened and he heard the sound of a gunshot, startling the Beacon students as well.

"Oh no…"

* * *

 **Chapter 100. It finally happened... Again. Sheesh, it's the second time I've done this, as I mentioned above, but seriously, I just wanna thank everyone who has read a single sentence of this story. Even that much shows that I did something that people would read. I was afraid on whether this story would be a good one in terms of reading, and from what it looks like, a lot of people really do enjoy it for what it is, so from the bottom of my heart, thank you for sticking with it.  
**

 **To JJ- Yeah, it's a bit hard to write out when a character has to go through a crisis, but I'm glad you're understanding of what it's used for. As for Nel, she's a hard ass, and again, glad you understand that her character is like that for a reason. Also, I did thank others already, but I'd like to thank you as well for reviewing every single chapter (at least I think you have, either way it's close).**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 100. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 101.**


	101. You Kids

**Here's chapter 101, everyone.**

* * *

Winter looked down at the woman who was literally a bear that attacked her and the soldiers she was with hours ago. "She's still unconscious… Where are the others?" Winter asked the two soldiers she was with while they were on the airship that brought them to the island in the first place.

"They should be here soon, Ma'am. Some of the others ended up running into more Grimm more than likely." The female soldier answered, and Winter simply nodded as she checked on the woman's pulse, feeling it was a lot steadier than before.

"Make sure that the outside is well guarded. I'll speak with her once she wakes." Winter ordered, and the two soldiers nodded, heading outside the airship with rifles in hand, while the pilot looked back.

"Sorry to ask, but who exactly is that woman? When you brought her in, I couldn't really ask you anything." As the pilot asked, Winter had to debate on what to tell him.

As an Atlas Specialist, she couldn't lie about her mission to those who were given clearance to know. "It's who we are tasked to investigate. I plan to interrogate her once she is awake. For now, make sure that you keep in contact with the other teams."

"Yes, Ma'am." The pilot looked forward and worked on contacting the other soldiers, while the unconscious woman was snoring softly.

Winter sighed to herself, as she felt more stress was going to befall her. " _This is more than what I bargained for, but I suppose now it makes sense why this kind of sighting was reported. Still, this woman does what Weiss can do. A semblance? But what was that she could do with those spikes on her body…"_

The Atlas Specialist sighed to herself, while looking out one of the windows. It was clear in the night, but the sun was beginning to rise. If the remaining teams showed up soon, Winter knew by the afternoon, she'd be back in Atlas with the unconscious woman, though when she would wake would be the real point of seeing how tedious it would be to deal with her.

" _Maybe we should attempt to wake her now. She was clearly scared of this Relentless group."_

Instead of hesitating, Winter started nudging the woman, and she stirred in her sleep. "Exhaustion. Possibly aura depletion as well… I suppose we can give her some time before returning to Atlas."

As she said that, she heard her scroll go off. When she checked what it was, she was surprised to see General Ironwood was requesting to speak to her. She had no reason to deny his request, so she began to call the General.

After seeing the call was connected, Winter spoke. "Sir."

"Winter, usually I hear a report from you by now. What's going on?" Ironwood inquired.

The Atlas Specialist looked down at the unconscious woman. "It seems that the sightings were true, sir. But I've come across something strange."

"Is that so? Well what is it exactly?" Ironwood asked, as he could hear in Winter's voice that she was very confused about the situation.

"The animal that we encountered was a large bear, over ten feet on just all fours… But it was able to speak." Winter explained, and before Ironwood could question her further, she continued. "Not only that, but it changed into a human woman."

The General was dumbfounded, though one thought crossed his mind. "That sounds similar to your sister's semblance."

"I don't believe so, sir. The woman claimed that she was a bear that could become human, not the other way around." Winter explained, and Ironwood was confused by that.

"Clearly that woman is delirious, so make sure to bring her in for questioning. If this semblance of hers is out of control, then we'll figure out what we can do with her." James ordered, while Winter wasn't sure she was comfortable with that course of action.

Remembering how distressed the woman was already was a sign that bringing her somewhere else, and interrogating her would be hard to cope with. "Sir, I believe it would be best to bring her in when she is in a more calm state of mind. There is less of a risk in her using her semblance that way."

"Hmm, fine, but I want you to find out more from this woman before bringing her here if that's the case. Semblance use like this is just as dangerous as even Grimm if the reports are to go off by." James remarked.

"Yes, sir." With that, the call ended and Winter honestly felt conflicted, but that would have to wait, as she began to think of the questions she'd ask the woman. Mostly ones about what she meant about becoming human.

* * *

Torn looked around, hoping to find where the gunshot was, and the Beacon students had their weapons ready. "That shot came from the south of town." Ruby stated, and Torn only hoped that his friends were okay.

As they all took off, Weiss was doing her best to keep herself calm, especially since she knew the risks of letting emotions run wild in battle. " _I need to remember everything we've learned so far… If there's an enemy here, I have to set aside my feelings and focus on the task at hand."_

Ruby glanced at Weiss from time to time as they ran, seeing the conflicted look on her face, but she shook her head, since she too knew that focus was key, and not letting personal feelings get in the way.

Weiss, you're with me. Blake, Yang, try to use the houses as cover. Ren, Nora, I know Jaune is your leader, but I think you two could split off and try to meet us in a pinching formation. If the south is where that shot came from, then Weiss and I can take the east side." Ren and Nora weren't about to argue with Ruby, simply nodding to her as they split off and took the west side.

After everyone split off, Torn was happy to see the Beacon students not ignoring the possibly danger that could befall them, as he had a bad feeling that his companions were the ones being targeted.

" _Nel, if you're in the middle of a fight, at least inform me. Is it them?"_

" _Ugh! I'm trying to focus, damn it! Yes, it's them! YOU SAID NOT TO WORRY ABOUT THEM!"_

" _I thought it was secured. Just hold on."_

Torn wanted to chastise himself for making a mistake, one that caused The Relentless to sneak by, but then he thought of something with Weiss and began to contact her.

" _Lazuria's daughter… I mean, Weiss, if you can hear me, you musn't use your wolf abilities. Do I make myself clear? The Relentless are here, and if they know you're a Hidden, they will mark you for death."_

Weiss bit her lip, having her worries confirmed, so she simply had to listen, or else she'd share the same fate as her birth Mother.

It didn't take much longer for everyone to get to where the fight was, as Nel was bleeding from her left arm, and she was shaking lightly while holding her spear. "You animals really do enjoy parading around and thinking you're like us…"

The Relentless member with green highlights in her black hair smirked as she pointed her blade at Nel. "And you enjoy parading as a huntress… When you're nothing but a failed good for nothing murderer."

"Murder? No, I'm making sure that you monsters can't hurt anyone. Just like hunting Grimm." Mia began to run at the weakened woman, but as she slashed at her, Torn dashed in, growing larger than he was normally and ramming into the woman.

Mia gasped as she fell back, seeing the large hawk, so she growled a little.

"W-What are you doing, you old bird? She'll know now…" Nel said of how he wasn't marked yet himself, so he shook his head.

"Letting you die is not on my priority list." Torn responded, and as Mia got up, she realized there were others around her.

Ruby and Weiss were on one side of her, while Ren and Nora were on the other. Blake and Yang stayed hidden just in case, and The Relentless member was taken aback. "Kids? The hell are you doing?"

"What are we doing? What are you doing?" Ruby questioned. "Why are you trying to kill these people?"

Mia looked shocked. "They aren't people! Those are monsters, now stay back, this isn't a place for children. Besides, I have no intentions of harming you kids." She focused back on Nel and Torn.

Nel was too injured to do anything, while Torn had to stay on the defensive to protect Nel. Ren and Nora stayed aiming their weapons at Mia, while Ruby was trying to talk her out of it again. "Monsters? They're nothing like Grimm… We've heard about what's going on between them and the people you work for, but you have to understand that they're not doing anything wrong."

"Kids like you are too ignorant to the world. These 'animals' have something that could end up being an even bigger threat than Grimm. Infiltration. They hide in plain sight, pretending to be human, only to change into giant monstrosities to kill us." Mia stated.

"There hasn't been a moment like that before and you know it!" Nel yelled, and she hissed in pain as she held her arm.

Weiss looked over, seeing her bleeding as her heart began to race, since she was seeing first hand what The Relentless would do to her if they knew what she was.

"Say what you want, but we know the truth. You monsters need to be dealt with before you can truly wipe out humanity!" Mia yelled out, and, as she swiped her sword down, sending a lightning strike at the two Hidden, but Weiss gasped and used her semblance.

A glyph appeared in the way of the attack, stopping it in its tracks, as Mia growled, only for Ruby, Ren and Nora to shoot at her, since she chose to continue her hostile force. The Relentless member jumped back in time, as the explosion of Nora's attack pushed her even further away.

"I can't be held responsible for what happens to you kids if you continue to help them! So drop your weapons and leave now!" Mia ordered, not wanting to hurt anyone besides the two Hidden in front of her.

Ruby swapped Crescent Rose to its scythe form and glared at the woman. "I'm not about to let you murder innocent people… I don't care what your views are, you'll have to get through us if you want them."

Weiss was the only one that was hesitant, as she was afraid the woman would learn of what she was.

"Ugh, you're too naive to reason with either… Very well…" Mia sheathed her weapon, confusing the Beacon students, since they didn't think she'd give up so easily, but a moment later, Nel yelled.

"Get back!" Mia grinned and slid her boot against the ground, as a large circle appeared under her and the Beacon students. "I'm sorry for this, but you left me no choice."

The circle suddenly became empowered with electricity, so Ruby, Weiss, Ren and Nora all screamed out in pain as they were being electrified. "Get them out of there!" Nel yelled at Torn, who was about to fly at the students, but a gunshot hit one of his wings, making his cry out in pain, as Nel gasped and looked over, seeing the grin on Mia's face as she was holding her magnum.

"Gotta pack a punch to break through aura easily," Mia's laughed as she was about to shoot at them again, but was met with a shot against her, as Blake jumped out from one of the houses, and not a moment later, she shot her gun at Ren and Nora, wrapping the ribbon around them both.

She tugged on it, pulling them both out of the circle, while Yang shot out of a house, tackling both Ruby and Weiss out as well, and Mia held her hand in pain, as her mahnum was on the ground.

"Damn kids…" As Ruby, Weiss, Ren and Nora were recovering, Mia looked over at Torn and Nel, both partially injured from her attacks.

"Torn, fly the kids out of here… I'm the marked one, so she can't track you down." Nel quietly said to the hawk, whose right wing was still limp from the shot.

"I wouldn't even if I could…" Torn grunted and as Mia was looking at her options, she realized being outnumbered, even with two hidden injured wouldn't be an easy fight.

Weiss groaned as she slowly stood up, shaking her head a few times as she managed to fully recover from the electric attack. "W-Why won't you stop… Why can't you leave them be… They won't hurt anyone…"

Mia heard her, and as she picked up her magnum, she was about to say something, but one of Nora's grenades from her weapon landed and exploded at Mia's feet, so she screamed in pain as the explosion knocked her into a destroyed house, breaking through the concrete.

Nora smirked. "Don't just stand around in a fight!"

Ren was knelt down still, recovering from the shock as he was a little proud of what Nora just did, only for Blake to help him up. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it, but Nora's right," Blake kept her grip on her pistol. "We can't sit around in a fight. No way is she knocked out from that."

Another circle under them appeared, and they all gasped, but since they knew what it was, they did their best to jump away. Ruby used her speed, Weiss used her glyphs after grabbing Yang, helping her escape the circle, while Blake jumped away and repeated what she did for Ren and Nora by pulling them back with her weapon.

That time several rocks sprouted up, and on top of one of them was Mia, glaring down at the students. "You kids…"

* * *

 **Finally showing The Relentless going up against Hidden. It's always been talked about, but never shown. Now I'm happy to finally able to get to this point.**

 **To JJ- I'm very happy to hear that my stories reached out to you in that way. Weiss is basically saying that she's lived her life without knowing her birth mother, so to her, she has no real reason for her to know much about her. As for Raven and Willow, well, you'll see.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 101. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 102.**


	102. You Really Are An Idiot

**Here's chapter 102, everyone.**

* * *

"Are we almost there?" Willow asked, rubbing both her arms from the cold as Raven simply nodded. Even though they were walking for a bit, Willow was honestly just glad that they didn't run into any Grimm on the way. "This place isn't too far from Atlas. Is there any reason why it's not cleared of Grimm?"

Raven glanced over her shoulder. "If you think that Grimm will die out so easily, then you'd be a fool. Just count us lucky that they don't multiply that fast."

"M-Multiply?" Willow nervously repeated.

"Don't take it so literal. The Grimm show up and we slay them. It's not something to worry yourself over." Raven assured as she looked forward. "We're here."

Willow took a few steps forward, gasping when she saw a sword, broken in a lone tree stump, surrounded by several trees circling. "A sword? Raven, what is this place?"

"First place I failed a mission we were tasked to deal with…" Raven said while looking at the broken sword. The aging on the handle could be seen, as Willow stood next to the black haired huntress. "You only know you're limitations when you come close to death."

The white haired woman stayed quiet, her breath visible in front of her as she examined the blade. Its hilt was frozen, and she figured the tip of the blade was destroyed, since it was barely embedded in the trunk.

"Why did you want me to see this memory, Raven?" Willow asked, feeling a little sad for the woman, since she felt like she wasn't the kind to 'fail'.

Raven took a breath. "I wanted you to never have this kind of memory, Willow." She glanced at the white haired woman. "The way you keep training, I have no issues with, but going past your limits can bring harm to you… I'd rather not see that happen."

Willow's heart skipped a beat, and she brought her hand up to her chest. "Is… Is this why you rather not bring me on a hunt? You're afraid I'll fail and end up getting hurt?"

"Yes." Raven simply answered, saying nothing more as Willow looked down, feeling awful for not taking Raven's feelings into account.

"Why didn't you tell me exactly how you felt about that? If you'd just talk to me-." Willow was cut off when Raven stomped her foot against the snow.

"Because my idiot of a brother was right about you making your own damn choices! I can't let my personal feelings get in the way… As your instructor, I've trained you to handle this." Raven exclaimed.

Willow was taken aback, so she did the one thing she felt was right, and moved close, hugging the black haired huntress. "You've trained me to simply defend myself… Not become a huntress like you and Summer. I'm so sorry for ignoring how you felt, Raven."

"Let go of me… You have no reason to apologize. People who just say sorry-." Raven was interrupted.

"Don't give me your tough act, Branwen." Willow pulled away, and Raven could see the saddened expression on her face. "I wish… I just wish you'd talk to me more, instead of shut me out."

"You and I have nothing to talk about accept your training." Raven remarked, but she was lying to herself.

Willow scoffed. "Stop acting like a damn teenager and realize what's going on here!" Raven was taken aback from that. "Damn it, Raven! I get things were complicated with you and Tai, but you shouldn't be afraid to let someone else in!"

Raven didn't realize that Willow caught on, and she sighed. "There's nothing that needs to happen here."

"Maybe, maybe not, but you won't even give it a chance…" Willow's voice showed how hurt she was.

"You're married." Raven reminded.

Willow growled and took a step towards Raven, glaring at her. "To a man I hate! I can't continue to live this lie with him! You've been the one to make me happy damn it… I… I just want to move past the man who ruined my children's views on what a Father should be like, and spend my days with someone I care deeply for…"

Raven could only remember to the days where she and Tai would go out together, slowly building up to a marriage, and even having a child together. Ever since she and Tai split up though, she became colder, unwanting of love in her life ever again, but with Willow and how much time they've spent together, the hard ass of a huntress wasn't able to deny that she had feelings for the white haired woman.

"Are you going to say something or not?" Willow questioned as she continued glaring.

The black haired huntress let out a light chuckle. "You really are an idiot," As Willow was about to yell at her, Raven took a step forward and pulled her in for a kiss, and Willow's eyes widened, as she felt a kiss that actually meant something for the first time in years.

As the two held their kiss, Willow slowly closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around Raven, while leaning up to get on her tiptoes, while Raven was rubbing the back of her head. After a few seconds, she pulled away and Willow pulled back, coughing a bit into her hand. "Um, okay…"

Raven rolled her eyes. "Now who's being the teenager?"

"Be quiet… You caught me off guard." Willow said with her trademark Schnee glare.

"Fair enough, but you're still an idiot for wanting this." Raven stated, and Willow mumbled something under her breath. "Technically you'd be cheating on your husband because of this."

Willow groaned and rolled her eyes. "Unofficially that man is not my husband… But… In a way, you are correct, I married the man, and I have to keep to my vows." Raven's eyes lit up, but Willow continued. "Still, the day I divorce him officially, I would hope you'd wait for me."

Raven scoffed at that. "You really are the kind of person to say that…"

"W-What? I just… I meant… Ugh, screw off, Branwen!" Willow yelled in embarrassment, as she was blushing.

The black haired huntress did something she hadn't felt like she could do in awhile, at least in a genuine way. She smiled, and was happy to be around someone again in her life. "Sure, Schnee. Sure."

* * *

Back in Kuroyuri, or at least outside of it by the airship, Jaune and Pyrrha could hear what was going on in the distance. "P-Pyrrha, should we go over?" The blonde leader asked, hoping his friends were okay.

Pyrrha looked back at the airship, knowing that if she and Jaune went, it would be unguarded. "I'm… I'm not sure. If we leave, no one will be here to protect the airship and Klein."

Jaune bit his lip and tightened his grip on his sword. "Damn it…"

Klein was at the entrance of the ship, having heard the fighting as well. "Both of you, please go. I need to know that Weiss will be okay. I can take care of myself."

Hearing that was a surprise, since the butler would be taking a risk with staying behind with the airship. Jaune thought about his options, and when he remembered how Weiss was when Klein showed up, he shook his head. "No. If something happened to you, Weiss would be crushed. Just stay inside and let us do what we promised to do."

Pyrrha looked to her leader, and her eyes lit up, not out of surprise, but admiration as she let out a smile, so she decided to back up his words. "Jaune is right, sir. Please stay back. We can't be sure if anything else will appear near us."

Klein wanted to argue, but he knew that the two Beacon students wouldn't budge, so he glanced over towards Kuroyuri, hearing more sounds of a fight happening still. Zwei was behind him, barking up at the man, in a way trying to tell him to trust the others, so he took a breath and prayed that Weiss was safe, as he got inside the airship with the corgi.

Jaune was glad that the butler wouldn't try to convince them to go, so he looked back over at the town, noticing that no Grimm were around, but suddenly he noticed several stone pillars popping out of the ground. "What the heck? Pyrrha, Grimm can't do that… Can they?"

The red haired huntress in training held her rifle out, scoping in as she spotted a woman on top of it. "It's not a Grimm, it's a woman."

"A woman? Wait, do you think it might be a bandit or something?" Jaune asked, hoping only one person was fighting his friends.

Pyrrha shook her head. "I'm not sure, but she's hostile… I can take a shot at her-."

"Wait." Jaune ordered, and Pyrrha glanced at him, waiting to hear what he'd say. "If she doesn't know we're here yet, we need to pick out the absolute best moment to fire at her. I don't have range, but," The boy reached into the bag he brought with him, pulling out binoculars. "I can use these to at least see the fighting better."

Trusting Jaune was easier for Pyrrha, so she nodded, keeping her rifle traced on the woman, as Jaune watched with the binoculars. While the red haired huntress in training was clearly more skilled in combat than her leader was, she had faith in her partner and leader.

"It looks like she's jumped down to fight, but I can't read lips… Ugh, how do people do that." Jaune complained while looking through the binoculars.

* * *

Mia, while glaring at the Beacon students in front of her, was also on the defensive herself, since Nora proved to her that standing around will not be tolerated, so she prepared use of her semblance. The others knew that shooting at her would result in simple dodges, but Ruby had an idea.

"Weiss… I need you to focus." Ruby said, as she knew her partner wasn't fully there, most likely from the fear she was feeling from the Relentless member being in front of them.

Before Ruby could say more though, Mia's eyes lit up and she dashed to the right, so Yang and Nora shot at her, trying to get their explosive shots in front of her. The knockback would be enough to stop her, but she used her semblance, instantly casting a circle under where the explosions were, and as they went off, the students noticed the shells from Yang's weapon, and the canisters from Nora's weapon were floating.

"Gravity dust! Move, Blake!" Ruby ordered, since the woman was targeting her first, but before she could, Mia lifted her hand up, and a circle appeared behind Blake as she tried jumping back.

The cat Faunus gasped when she looked over her shoulder, and when her feet touched the floor of where the circle appeared, ice appeared all over it, trapping her legs as it traveled up her body.

Ren intercepted the woman when she kept dashing to Blake in attempts to knock her out, and his bladed guns met her sword, as she grinned. "You all need to protect each other. And that's where you'll fail." Her eyes lit up again, and a circle appeared under the two, as Ren noticed she was about to jump back, so he quickly dropped one of his guns to grab her arm.

Mia smirked when he managed to grab her, and once the effects of the circle activated, she and Ren began to float, showing she used gravity dust with her semblance again. Ren wasn't prepared, so he let go of her when he aimlessly floated around, and Mia kicked off him, making him land on the other circle with Blake, which the ice traveled up onto him as well, trapping him.

Nora growled, while Yang ran to Blake and Ren to free them. The orange haired girl had enough and swapped her weapon into its hammer form, choosing to engage with the woman, but as she started swinging at her, Mia was toying with her, dodging easily as she laughed.

Ruby was aiming her sniper at the woman, but didn't have a good shot since Nora too close. "Weiss," When her partner didn't answer, she glanced over, seeing Weiss was still a little shaken up. "Weiss, you need to listen." She raised her voice a little, and Weiss gasped.

The white haired teen looked at her partner, and was still shaking with fear as Nora slammed her hammer against the ground when she missed, as Mia hit her with the butt of her sword, which had a bit of force in it to do some damage to her aura.

Weiss' eyes widened when she realized she could be doing something to help, so she growled and readied herself.

"I need you on this, Weiss. White Rose." Ruby ordered, and Weiss instantly casted a glyph in front of them, as Ruby aimed and fired, believing in her aim.

Mia glanced over for just a moment when she heard Weiss' glyph, and as Ruby shot at her, she was hit right in the arm since she had to dodge both the shot and Nora's swinging at her, but she clearly failed in dodging Ruby's rifle round.

Her arm was encased in ice, and she growled, since she couldn't use her blade, so she aimed her magnum at Nora, who moved to the size before she shot.

The magnum round hit into a wall of one of the houses, as it broke it apart a bit.

" _Damn it… I need to get away from these kids."_

* * *

 **Not much to say here, so I'll keep a short, I was slowly accepting the Willow and Raven ship for this story, and as it continued, I found it fun to do, so yes, I decided to just have it done.  
**

 **To JJ- Glad you liked The Relentless member getting taken down. It was a fun little moment, and now to see how she handles it now. As for Winter, you can see how she feels about it and how she'll more than likely be more on the side of the Hidden if she learns more and more.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 102. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required.**


	103. Can't Lie Your Way Out Of This

**Here's chapter 103, everyone.**

* * *

"Ugh… Huh?" The woman that Winter had brought with her on the airship was slowly waking up, as she realized she was laying in a bed. The airship they were on had a cabin for injured soldiers. "W-Where am I?"

Winter glanced over while sitting next to her in one of the chairs. "Good, you're awake. Before you ask any more questions, you're on my airship. It's still grounded, so don't be alarmed. I just have some questions for you."

The woman blinked a few times, sighing in relief since it was true. Winter wasn't part of The Relentless, since they shot first and never asked questions. "I guess I can answer a few… Oh, and my name is Olivia. I'm pretty sure that was gonna be one of your questions."

"Hmm, yes, well Olivia, clearly you should know that your claims earlier sound extremely far fetched." Winter stated, and Olivia sniffled. "You said you have the ability to become human, implying you are an animal to begin with."

"That's correct. I wasn't lying, and I gain nothing out of if for avoiding the truth." Olivia said as she sat up, pulling the covers over herself.

Winter took note of that, and she still couldn't get it. "That doesn't exactly make sense to me. I told you my sister can use her semblance to become an animal as well, so maybe you're just confused."

Olivia chuckled. "I don't know about your sister, but I am one hundred percent an actual bear… And judging from the look on your face, you still don't believe me."

"As I said, it sounds far fetched." Winter reminded as she crossed her arms.

"Okay, that's honestly fair. I mean, my kind doesn't exactly show themselves to the world, but we've been forced to use our abilities to fend off The Relentless…" Olivia shivered at the thought of the group.

The Atlas Specialist had more to ask after she mentioned the group again. "And tell me, who are The Relentless exactly? And who are you if you claim to be a bear."

Olivia chuckled a little. "I'm called a Hidden." Winter raised an eyebrow. "An animal that could tap into my aura, and with it, can transform into a human being." She smiled a little. "It's why we're called Hidden."

"We're? There are more of you?" Winter inquired.

"Yes. Not too many in the world compared to humans, but we do exist. I wish there was a way to prove to you that I'm not lying… Hmm, actually, you remember during our fight, that I shot spikes out at you and those Grimm you somehow brought out?" Olivia asked.

"That is my semblance, but yes I remember those spikes." Winter answered.

Olivia moved her arm out a bit and suddenly a small spike appeared from her arm, surprising Winter. "This. Is my semblance, not my ability to become human. Don't you know it's not possible to have two semblances?"

Winter's eyes widened as she instantly thought about how her sister had the ability to use glyphs, even though she could also become a wolf. "W-What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that my ability to change into a human isn't a semblance, but during my years as a human, I eventually manifested a semblance. I don't know how, but all of us Hidden can do that." Olivia stated.

That made Winter even more concerned for Weiss. "I still don't see how this is possible. You could be simply gifted with two semblances, and the others you know as well."

Olivia chuckled at how she was still denying it. "We all have one thing in common, and that's being animals… I can even tell you that my kind has given birth to children that start out as animals. They too have the ability to become humans."

Winter got up at that point, since the dots were connecting in her head about how Weiss was able to become a wolf, and have a semblance of glyphs. Not only that, but how she had a birth Mother that Willow said her wolf 'semblance' came from.

"Huh? Is something wrong?" Olivia asked.

"My sister… Is… Is it possible that she is one of these… Hidden?" Winter questioned.

Olivia was surprised by the question. "I don't understand? You and her are sisters, so if you were born human, than wouldn't she as well?"

Winter's heart skipped a beat, as she never did know the full story of Weiss' birth. "M-My sister was adopted, and she has the ability to use glyphs, a semblance my family can use."

"If your sister is also able to turn into an animal like you said, I'm sorry, but I do believe she's really a Hidden after all." Olivia said with a pitied look on her face, since she could see how distressed Winter looked.

Luckily Winter had closed the door to the cabin earlier, so the pilot wasn't able to hear any of what they were saying. "I… I need a moment." Winter walked away from the woman and turned from her, as her heart was racing.

" _Is… Is that what Mother was hiding from us? Was her birth Mother one of these people…"_

Olivia looked over at the distressed Atlas Specialist and felt bad for dropping something like that on her. "Maybe she's a special case. I mean, even if she's adopted, that doesn't mean she was born as an animal."

Winter glanced over her shoulder, not looking convinced, though a tad bit hopeful as only one person could truly answer her question.

She took a deep breath and sat on one of the beds in the cabin, and not a moment later, her scroll was out as she began to contact her Mother.

* * *

Willow was walking back with Raven as her scroll started going off, so she stopped for a moment and pulled it out from her purse. "Hmm? Winter calling this late? Give me a moment." She said to Raven, who simply kept watch over her. "Hello, sweetie. Is everything okay, it's a little late for-."

"Mother, this is serious." Winter's voice was all that needed to be heard for Willow to hear out what her eldest daughter was concerned over.

"Winter, calm down for a moment and just tell me what's wrong." Willow said, and Raven glanced over, wondering what was going on.

The Atlas Specialist took a breath. "Mother, when you told me that Weiss is adopted, did you fail to tell me the truth of her birth?"

Willow's eyes widened, and she felt her heart racing. "What do you mean? I already told you as much as-."

"As much as you could, but clearly some things were left out. At the moment I am with a person that claims they have the same abilities as Weiss. Meaning they can become an animal… Or a human in her case." Winter's words started to make Willow realize she was closer to the truth than ever. "I need to know… Was my little sister born as a wolf?"

That was it. The question she knew was coming, so Willow took a deep breath. "I guess there's no hiding it at this point? You've always been very smart, sweetie… I can't lie my way out of this one."

Winter held back a breath, and Willow bit her lip, while Raven wasn't sure what she was talking about. "I… I can't believe what I'm hearing, Mother. This is twice now…"

"I know… But how could I tell you the truth if it meant things would be different for her? You know as well as I do, that knowing this will destroy her." Willow stated.

"She has a right to know who she is!" Winter yelled loud enough for Raven to hear, so the black haired huntress chose to step a bit away to give Willow her privacy.

Willow bit her lip, hating how she was repeating what she had to deal with at Beacon. "You don't have to forgive me this time… I know what I did, and you know why I did it."

"This isn't about forgiveness, Mother. Her life is completely what it wasn't thought to be… Don't you understand what that does to a person?" Winter questioned.

"I already know! Do you not remember that I was the one to tell her at Beacon?!" Willow yelled, and tears were threatening to fall, as Raven wanted to walk over to check on her, but she stayed back.

Winter wanted to yell, but then she remembered how upset Weiss was when they argued back in Beacon. "I'm not about to fight with you, Mother… Right now I'm conflicted."

Willow took a deep breath, as she too was conflicted on the information Winter not knew. "I don't know how I can tell her… She's already learned a truth that hurt her more than anything. I can't hurt her again."

"Mother, if she finds out in some other way, it won't be any better. In fact, she'll take it much worse." Winter stated.

"She may not even hear it from anyone else." Winter tried hoping.

"If I was able to find someone out here in the world that can do what she can, there's always a chance she will too, so I suggest you tell her before that happens, Mother…" Winter recommended, as her voice was still showing how upset she was.

Willow bit her lip. "How can I even tell her? When can I even tell her?"

"That is for you to decide, Mother, but if you wait too long, I'll tell her myself. I refuse to let her not know the truth for much longer." Winter put her foot down, but did continue. "I'm sorry, Mother."

"D-Don't be… This was going to happen one day." Willow felt a few tears fall, and she looked up at the moon, hoping when she told her daughter, that she'd not be as hurt as she thought she'd be.

* * *

The moon shined down on the battle below, as Mia was only able to use one arm at that point, since the other was frozen from Ruby and Weiss' team attack. Ruby didn't give her a chance to retreat though, as she fired again at the woman, who was barely able to keep up her dodges, mostly because Nora was still trying to hit her with her hammer.

Mia was getting very annoyed, as Nel and Torn were taking refuge in one of the houses, while the Beacon students fought. "Ugh, damn arm…" Nel complained while holding her bloodied arm, and Torn had reverted to a smaller hawk form.

"My wing is still injured… Whatever her weapon can fire… It's very strong." Torn tried lifting the injured wing, but was barely able to.

"Not to mention that semblance. Dodging it a lot ended up with this messed up arm. I just hope them outnumbering her will help them." Nel said as she thought about the Beacon students.

Torn sighed, wishing he didn't have to rely on them, since technically it wasn't their fight to begin with. "I'll help them."

"No you won't. Your wing is screwed up, and that means your arm will be even if you change back. You'll be a burden to them." Nel stated, and Torn hated that she was right.

"Stand still!" Nora yelled as she kept swinging her hammer at Mia, while Yang was close to melting the ice on Blake and Ren.

Mia quickly glanced over at Ruby and Weiss, so she smirked and lifted her usable hand up, creating a circle under them. Both girls gasped as they had to dodge the pillars of rocks that shot out from under them, but Weiss ended up getting hit.

Weiss' aura took the brunt of the hit, but when she got sent back, another pillar shot out from behind her and knocked her forward again, making her land on her stomach, as she dropped her weapon.

Ruby's eyes widened when she realized another rock pillar would shoot out from under her, so she quickly used her semblance and grabbed her girlfriend, dropping Crescent Rose to do so. When she got Weiss to safety, Mia was able to strike back and Nora, as she flipped her magnum to hit pistol whip her.

Nora had been hit on the side of the head, so she gasped out in pain, and Mia swiftly kicked her away, making her drop her hammer. The Relentless member smirked since she was able to disarm three of them.

"Sorry, kids… But I'm done with you." Mia's eyes lit up once more and she stomped her foot against the ground. The biggest circle she's made yet in the fight began to appear, and as it continued growing, the Beacon students feared that they wouldn't be able to escape it that time. "Don't worry… I won't kill you, kids… But this'll hurt."

A moment later, a shot rang out through the town.

* * *

 **Again, not much to say here except for sorry on how it ended, since I personally don't enjoy cliffhangers all that much, but with how often I post, I felt like it was okay to do.**

 **To JJ- Glad you liked them getting together, as it was just a go with flow relationship that sparked while writing the story, and honestly, Mia would probably be taken down easier if Pyrrha and Jaune were there.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 103. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 104.**


	104. I Need To Tell Her

**Here's chapter 104, everyone.**

* * *

Raven walked over to Willow, and as the white haired woman lowered her scroll, she looked down in shame. "I hate to ask, but what was that just now? You don't tend to yell at your own kids."

"I shouldn't have yelled, but Winter is right to be angry with me." Willow said, wishing she could've told Weiss and Winter everything back at Beacon, but her vow to Lazuria held her back, even then.

"Whatever it was, try to relax. Negative emotions will attract Grimm to us, and we've been lucky to not run into any so far." Raven reminded, and Willow nodded, but the black haired huntress suddenly felt Willow taking her hand.

Willow sniffled a bit, her emotions still a little out of control, but she was trying to keep herself calm. "If that's the case, I'm not afraid to ask for help…"

Raven rolled her eyes, but she knew Willow meant what she said, so she kept her hand in hers as she escorted the white haired woman out of the forest. "Just breathe."

"Okay…" Willow was steadying her breaths, but she couldn't keep Weiss out of her mind, or at least the conversation she would soon have to have with her daughter. "Raven, I'm sorry for ruining this night…"

"I don't really see anything ruined. Besides, it's not like I was expecting anything out of this day." Raven said in her own way.

Willow looked a little disappointed with that response. "Not even when you planned on bringing me to that spot of yours?"

For a few moments, Raven was silent, but then she thought about what she really did want out of bringing Willow there. "I don't know… Maybe I did, but… All in all, I just felt it was time to explain exactly why I was hesitant on accepting your deal."

"I see." Willow squeezed her hand. "Honestly, I'm still happy for what you did. I don't like the idea of cheating on my husband, even if he's a prick, but you've been very supportive, and… I want to get to know the Raven that doesn't hide herself from people."

"There isn't another me to find. What you see is what you get, so-."

Willow slapped her arm, making Raven recoil a bit as the white haired woman huffed. "Will you quit acting like that? You're an adult, damn it. Look at me and say that I'm wrong about what we feel for each other."

Raven let out a light blush and looked into Willow's blue eyes. "I-I never said I was denying it, idiot… I just don't think you'll really be as happy as you think you'll be."

"With you? If that's so, don't just tell me how happy I can be or not. You're the person I want to get to know better, and if you'd give me the chance, maybe we can make it work… But if you just push me away, then maybe I was wrong…" Willow said sadly, letting Raven's hand go, but the black haired huntress grabbed her arm and pulled her in for another kiss, and Willow blushed as she simply embraced her in return, kissing her back.

After several seconds, Raven pulled away and Willow was sighing. "You're the one who keeps making me have to do that… You weren't wrong, but I like to make sure that you're serious about this."

"Why wouldn't I be?" Willow asked, and Raven crossed her arms.

"Tai is the person you should take example of. The man is nothing but the best Father, and a good husband… Even if he does act like an idiot sometimes, and Summer can easily vouch for that too, yet somehow I couldn't get it to last." Raven explained. "There's no guarantee that things will go well."

Willow scoffed. "You think you're the only person with a marriage that didn't last as long as they hoped? Need I remind you, or shall I literally bring you to the man himself?"

Raven rolled her eyes. "Not the point I was making, smart ass."

"Says the smart ass." Willow countered, and the two women stay quiet for several moments.

The black haired huntress sighed. "If this is something you're serious about, then… I suppose we can try… Just get to dealing with that jackass."

"Hmph. Like you need to tell me twice." Willow said, but she realized what she was going to have to do. "Shall we go? Or do you wish to stay out in the cold still?"

"That depends on you. You're the one who's lived in Atlas all your life, so being used to this weather shouldn't be an issue." Raven simply responded.

Willow gave her a deadpanned look. "You see, this is why you're a smartass."

"That would be my brother. I just speak the truth is all." Raven actually teased, walking past Willow, who was surprised that the huntress was actually the teasing type. "Get a move on."

"W-What? I… Ugh, you are impossible." Willow followed, but she did let out a smile when she realized that Raven was willing to give them a chance. Not a moment later though, the white haired woman's heart skipped a beat, since she remembered that she'd have to speak with Weiss about her heritage, and that itself made her wrap her arms around herself.

* * *

Winter was sitting on one of the beds in the cabin, while Olivia was still looking over at her. "I apologize… If you didn't end up having to look for me, you probably wouldn't have heard about this."

"There's no reason to apologize to me. I'd rather know about it… I recently learned that my sister is adopted, and here I am learning she is what you call, a Hidden." Winter rubbed her forehead.

"If it makes you feel better, if she hasn't known about it this long, then she may not need to worry about being one." Olivia tried looking to the bright side of the situation.

"What do you mean?" Winter asked as she looked over.

Olivia gripped her bedsheets. "The Relentless. They only target our kind, so if she's lived her life believing she was born a human, then that means The Relentless will think of her as such too."

"How so? This group, they target your kind, yet if they saw my sister, would they not just assume she's one of you?" Winter questioned, while the fear of The Relentless going after her little sister filled her mind.

"I only know enough about them from others who have encountered them," Olivia frowned a bit. "They observe us until they know one hundred percent that we are Hidden. The biggest tell is using our semblances while we're in our natural born forms."

Winter's eyes widened. "So… If my sister used her glyphs while she was a wolf-."

"They would know she's Hidden." Olivia bluntly answered. "I would recommend that you at least warn her not to use her semblance while she's a… Wolf, you said?" Winter nodded, and Olivia let out a small smile. "I've met a few wolves in my life. I can only guess she's grown used to fighting as one?"

"S-She has… But you're correct. I need to warn her." Winter took a breath and tried to call her sister a moment later, but after a few rings, the call went to voicemail, so she sighed. "She must be asleep… It's late."

"Don't worry." Olivia assured. "If she's just sleeping, then you have nothing to be afraid of. She'll wake up in the morning and you can warn her then."

"I don't even know if I can… She'll have questions, and I already agreed to let our Mother tell her." Winter explained, and Olivia felt bad for the predicament she was in.

Olivia moved a bit to have her feet planted on the ground while still sitting on the bed. "I can't give you all the answers, but I can see how much you care about your sister. If she loves you as much as you love her, she'll trust in your word… Family is important after all…" Olivia lowered her head.

Winter took note of that. "You mentioned something about someone you loved being separated from you."

"Yes, my husband… We were attacked by The Relentless with a group he works with. Luckily I wasn't marked, but a rockslide seperated us and he told me to run… I don't know where he is at this point, or if he's even alive…" Olivia said, tearing up a bit.

"I'm sorry." Winter offered her condolences, and Olivia wiped her face as the Atlas Specialist sighed. "There is something you should know." Olivia looked up at her. "I was tasked to investigate the odd sightings of large animals. Now that we found what it was… It is my job to bring you back to Atlas for questioning."

Olivia's eyes widened, and she tensed up. "I-I can't leave this kingdom… My husband is out there. Please, you have to understand." She began begging.

"If I could let you go, I would, but I can't go against orders." Winter said, wishing she could let the woman go, but she was loyal to her duties.

"Please, at least let me have a few days to search for my husband! I beg of you… Please…" Olivia fell to the ground on her knees as she bowed, pleading the Atlas Specialist to honor her wish.

Winter took a deep breath and knew that Ironwood was going to be upset with her. "Three days, but that's all I can offer. Who I work for is not someone to make wait, so for the time being, I will offer assistance in finding your husband, but if we cannot in the three days, then I can do nothing more for you."

Olivia lifted her head up, tears falling down her eyes as she let out a thankful and somber smile. "Thank you… Thank you so much…"

"Do not thank me. Just listen to what I say, and if you try to run, know that I won't be able to ignore you. My duties as an Atlas Specialist come first." Winter stated.

"Atlas… Right, you did mention that would be where we'd go… That's so far away…" Olivia commented, thinking about the flight there. "Wait, who exactly gave you the information on the sightings?"

"That's classified." Winter bluntly answered, and the woman was a little nervous at that point.

"It… It could've been them." Olivia remarked as she got up and sat on the bed again.

Winter raised an eyebrow. "Are you speaking of The Relentless? I highly doubt it, as you said, they target your kind to kill. I am not tasked in hunting down animals, better yet ones that can become human."

"I don't know. I just have a bad feeling… Do you really need to take me there? Can't I answer everything here?" Olivia tried to bargain.

"Sadly that isn't up to me. I was given an order, and I'm already taking a big risk in not taking you there immediately." Winter explained, and Olivia hung her head in defeat.

As she sighed, she slowly nodded. "Okay… Thank you for at least giving me this chance to find my husband."

"Mhmm." Winter responded and got up, folding her arms behind her back. "Do you require any medical attention?" The question caught Olivia off-guard as she moved her arms around, and while she was a little bruised here and there, she had no real need of medical attention, so she shook her head. "Very well. The only exit is that door," Winter pointed to it. "And if you want to prove to me that you're not a danger to anyone, you will sit there and not use your animal form."

"I have no reason to risk you forcing me to Atlas without having the chance to find my husband. His life matters more to me than anything in the world… I need to know if he's alive." Olivia stated, and Winter nodded in response.

"Then we understand each other. I'll inform my team of our… Delay in returning back to Atlas. And in that time, I'll have scouts looking for your husband. When I return, I need a description of how he looks as a human." Winter said to the woman, who lowered her head and nodded to her. "Just try to remain calm. We'll do our best to find him." The door to the cabin slid open when Winter pressed a button on the console next to it, and as she walked through, it closed behind her, so she sighed to herself.

"Ma'am?" The pilot called out as Winter walked over. "It seems that several of the others out in the field are almost here. Do you wish for me to begin getting ready for the return trip to Atlas?"

"No, we have more possible sightings here in Mistral to deal with. It's best that we continue scouting till we are certain that who we brought is the only one involved in these sightings." Winter ordered.

The pilot was a little surprised by that, but he wasn't about to go against one of her orders. "Yes, Ma'am."

Winter walked over and sat on one of the airship's seats, as she closed her eyes and pictured Weiss.

" _I need to tell her… I can't let those people find her."_

* * *

 **Winter is at least able to help Olivia out with finding her husband, but not much more than that due to her position as a Specialist.  
**

 **To JJ- Winter and Willow obviously have their differences in the knowledge of Weiss and what she is, but they also know when to relax and talk. As for the fight, well you'll see what happens soon enough. I won't delay that any further.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 104. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 105.**


	105. Justifications

**Here's chapter 105, everyone.**

* * *

"Pyrrha, that woman. Do you think she's got enough aura for you to take a shot?" Jaune asked his partner, as the red haired huntress in training was looking down at the town, but some of the buildings blocked her view.

As the fighting in town continued, Pyrrha was watching while aiming her rifle down. "The fighting only just started a few minutes ago… Aura is strong, but people have different strength to their aura."

Jaune took a breath, knowing that his partner was waiting on his call to take a shot, but when he saw that a massive circle was being formed on the ground of the town, he gasped. "W-What is that… Wait, that woman, she caused it when she slammed her foot down… Pyrrha you need to to stop whatever that is!"

His cry of distress was for his friends who were fighting off this unknown woman, and Pyrrha didn't need to be told twice as she lined up her shot as fast as possible, aiming directly at the woman.

" _I can't miss now."_

Pyrrha took a deep breath and fired.

A moment later, back in town, Mia was gasping out in pain, as the shot to her shoulder made her stumble in pain, stopping the use of her semblance. A second later, she slowly lifted her head up, seeing Nora only a moment too late, as the powered up huntress in training was able to land a punch to her face, since she was using all the electricity she's been hit by to power herself up enough for a good hit.

With that landing, Mia was shot backwards into a wall of one of the wrecked houses, gasping out again in pain as she spit up a bit, and her back made an audible cracking noise, as Nora was taking a few breaths, looking dead at the woman on the ground.

"I'll drag you away from here if I have to." Nora growled, having hated the fact that they were fighting in Kuroyuri, and slightly breaking it down further with their actions.

Mia could barely get up, as her back was in too much pain, so she collapsed to the ground on her front and lifted her head to see Nora standing over her, while the others were getting back up.

Ren and Blake were free from the ice, so both of them and Yang walked over to the orange haired girl. "Holy crap, Nora, how did you punch her that hard? I thought I was the one who works the best in hand to hand…" Yang commented, while Blake and Ren kept their guns trained on Mia, making sure she doesn't try anything.

"You are… I just stored up a lot of electricity from her attacks. It's my semblance." Her usual cheery and overly excited demeanor wasn't present, as she simply stared down at the woman, who was groaning in pain.

"W-What is wrong with you kids… Those monsters are going to terrorize more people by letting them live." Mia said, as she looked to her left, seeing her gun was out of arm's reach.

Blake glared at the woman, hating her words, as they felt similar to how people treated her own kind. "You just jump to conclusions, and that's why we won't let you hurt these people, yes, people. You can say what you want about them, but clearly they have lives to live that you only want to destroy."

Mia was annoyed by how she spoke, and when she tried to get up, she was met with another person aiming at them, that being Yang. "You better just stay down. No way are we letting you up now. And if you think about using that circle thing again, remember you just got shot."

The others didn't look just yet, and while they didn't know exactly who shot at Mia, they all secretly hoped it was Pyrrha, or even anyone else that may be around the area with Torn and Nel.

"Heh, so you kids had backup the whole time. Shoulda guessed." Mia laughed, but more from how easy it was to take her down, so she sighed to herself. "So now what… You gonna take me to prison?"

The way she asked showed that she had no intentions of stopping her assault if she had the chance. "Just stop." Weiss' voice was heard, and Yang bit her lip, wishing her friend wouldn't get near the woman. As Ruby and Weiss were walking over, she wasn't happy with Mia in the slightest. "This isn't about your views on them, what you do is murder. That's the simple fact. You aren't some kind of protector, or hero for what you do. You're a murderer, deep down, and nothing will change that."

Mia growled, staring directly at Weiss. "Is that right? Well what would all of you do if you found out the Grimm were actually people too? Hmm? Would your precious hunter life fall apart as you see what you kill?!"

While the idea of Grimm being people was outright ridiculous, Weiss didn't feel much from her words. "No, it wouldn't. If Grimm were people and they attacked anyone, I'd fight them, but if some were trying to live their lives without hurting others, I'd leave them be." As she held Ruby's hand, she squeezed it a bit, because no matter what, she felt that she could say those things to Mia because it's something Ruby herself would say.

"You say that, but you have no idea how dangerous letting monsters like them live! When the day comes where they start bringing down kingdoms, you'll look back on this day and regret everything you're protecting." Mia said with heavy breaths.

Ruby shook her head. "No. We won't. If you feel the hate you have for them won't go away, then we really can't let you go."

"It won't matter." Mia grinned. "There are more of us, so much more, and we won't stop. Not until we know that this planet is free of them." She said, glancing over at Nel and Torn. "You hear that?! You can't hide fore-." Weiss was the one who used her Myrtenaster's blunt end to knock the woman out, as she felt the woman's words reaching her even more so, since she knew of who she was.

"Enough." Weiss simply said, and she turned around to run over to the other hidden, having pulled away from Ruby.

The others were actually surprised that she'd do that to Mia, but they had no time to discuss anything, as Blake grabbed Mia's gun, and Nora began looking for some rope in the wrecked buildings to tie her up.

"Are you okay?" Weiss asked, frowning as she looked at Torn's injured wing.

Torn could barely move his injured wing, as he sighed, but nodded. "The pain will subside soon enough. You know, you can still leave now… We'll take care of that woman."

Weiss looked a little worried with how he phrased that, and Nel chuckled a little while still clutching her left arm. "Relax, we're not gonna kill her. Bringing her in will do just fine… I know someone who deals with making sure Relentless get jailed for good."

"O-Okay… But I'm not leaving." Weiss saying that surprised Nel and Torn. "That woman is part of the group responsible for…" She lowered her voice, in case the woman wasn't completely out. "For my Mother having to give me up. I want to know that she's not able to hurt anyone else like that."

Torn was actually happy with her words, while Nel shook her head. "Look, I get it, being split up from family, basically changing what your life would've been, it's not something anyone would be happy with. Still, the longer you stay around that woman, the more of a risk it'll be on you, so just let us handle it."

Weiss was about to argue, but Torn spoke up. "What Nel says is true. I promise that if you truly wish to know if that woman is taken into proper custody, then I'll find you in time, and show you proof of her not being able to bring harm to us." By that, he meant their kind.

It wasn't wrong. Weiss had a better chance staying away from Mia and The Relentless, so she sniffled a little and nodded. "Okay, if you can… I'll be at Beacon Academy. Please don't forget."

"For Lazuria's daughter, I won't." Torn assured, as Weiss clutched her wolf pendant, nodding to the old bird.

A few moments later, Ruby walked over and rubbed Weiss' shoulder. "Hey." Weiss only slightly glanced back, and Ruby let out a small smile for her. "It's okay now. We got her tied up and she's still knocked out."

"Good." Weiss responded, as she let go of her wolf pendant. "I know we came here for Ren and Nora, but I think it might be best for us to leave, Ruby."

Ruby looked over at the injured Torn and Nel, feeling bad that they'd leave them like that. "But-."

Nel caught on instantly. "Don't worry, kid. We've got a couple of our people around to help us out of here. Just need to lay low for a bit and wait on them."

Torn nodded. "It's true, so take this time to go back to your academy. I'll find a way there soon, and show you that she's not a threat any longer." He said to Weiss.

Ruby was still a little hesitant, but at the same time, she thought about Weiss and what would happen if The Relentless ever learned of who she really was. "All right… Let's go then."

Nora had just finished tying Mia up with some rope she found in one of the houses, as Blake still held onto Mia's blade and gun. "And there," Nora grinned after tightening the rope around Mia. "She won't get outta that."

Ren looked around the town, seeing that some of the fighting did damage a few places, but even so, he was grown, and he knew that while his hometown was long gone, the memory of the people could still continue. It showed with how he had his friends choose to go with him and Nora.

And with how it managed to get them involved in saving people, he was happy enough with that. Being able to help both Torn and Nel, and in turn, Weiss.

With that thought in mind, the boy in green walked over to Weiss, as she looked a little surprised by how he walked over specifically to her. "What's wrong, Ren?"

"I'd just like to apologize." Ren bowed to her apologetically, but Weiss didn't like that.

"W-What? No, stop doing that… I don't like when people bow to me, and besides, you have nothing to be sorry for." Weiss stated.

"I do. Nora and I wanted to come here, and you all saw how miserable we were. If it wasn't for us, we wouldn't have brought such a high risk to you with that Relentless group." Ren said as he lifted his head back up.

Weiss sighed. "None of us knew what would happen, and besides, we all knew there was a risk, albeit a different one. So you don't have a reason to say sorry, neither does Nora… And besides… I learned what I am because of it."

"Not what. Who." Torn cut in, and Weiss turned to face him. "You are still you in the end, daughter of Lazuria. No matter what. Because calling yourself an it, is exactly what The Relentless wants."

Ruby silently thanked the man for saying that, as she grabbed her girlfriend's hand. "He's right. You're still Weiss, and nothing will change that."

Weiss softly gasped, and she held back her tears. While she herself was still learning to cope with the information of being born as an animal, she took comfort in knowing that this information wouldn't change Ruby's, or any of her friend's views on her.

"Ruby…" Weiss squeezed her partner's hand and not a moment later, she shifted her body to turn and hug her, resting her head on Ruby's shoulder. "Thank you…"

The rose girl closed her eyes and smiled, wrapping her arms around Weiss in return, as Ren, Nel and Torn were happy for the two of them.

Weiss had closed her eyes as well, thinking about her Mother, Willow, and what she'd say to her once she got back to Beacon. While she was upset about the new information in some regard, she thought back to learning about her birth Mother to begin with.

" _I won't yell. I won't cry. I'll just talk. And learn."_

* * *

 **Adjusting is hard, but sometimes you gotta go through with it and live with the change in your life, so you can at least better a situation that seems too difficult to handle.  
**

 **To JJ- Luckily you didn't have to wait long to see the conclusion of this fight, and I'm glad you enjoyed Willow and Raven interactions, since while they both have their own time in chapters, having them together in this story just feels right.**

 **To GoldElite245- Hey, glad to see you back in the reviews and yeah, it's a fun ship. I enjoy it enough, and sorry for posting so fast. It's just so fun to post updates sooner than usual.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 105. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 106.**


	106. Take Their Advice

**Here's chapter 106, everyone.**

* * *

"Are you sure you're ready to leave?" Blake asked the white haired teen, who simply nodded as she looked over her shoulder at the tied up Relentless member.

Weiss made a mental note of what they looked like, and she took a breath after turning around. "This isn't our fight anymore, so I think I'll take their advice on going home if you don't mind."

Blake felt bad for the girl, having learned that she was not only born as an animal, but that there was an entire group of people hunting her kind. "Okay, but… Are you okay?"

"Honestly? No, but I can't exactly sit around and wait for what other horrible thing could happen." Weiss said in a somber tone, while Ruby and Yang were still talking with Torn about a few things. "Klein… I just thought about him."

"Do you think he knows?" Blake wondered.

Weiss bit her lip, thinking about the possibility of Klein knowing all that there was to her, so she looked towards the airship with a frown. "Part of me hopes so… And the other part doesn't."

Blake placed a hand on Weiss' shoulder. "Don't think about how he'd react if he didn't know. From how you ran to him when he showed up, I can tell you care a lot about him, so he won't judge you for, well, your heritage."

Heritage. It was the word that made Weiss believe she was taking up a fake persona to live out her life without fear now that she knows what her kind deals with. "I don't know. Heritage… I can't say I'm able to claim that. What am I really at this point if I never knew what I-."

"Weiss, you're not a what. I overheard what that one man said." Blake was referring to how Torn told Weiss not to call herself an it. "And look at me," She wiggled her cat ears under her bow. "I hide, but that doesn't mean I can't be who I am."

While her words were true, it just wasn't the same to Weiss. Having to hide because others tell you to was different in her eyes. She had no idea that she was Hidden, and even with the knowledge, she was going to hide even more so.

"Our reasons are different though…" Weiss reminded.

"Weiss, think about what you just said. You're," Blake whispered the next part. "Hiding, because you're trying to stay safe and not end up becoming hunted by those people. I'm hiding because I'm just… A coward, but this isn't about me. Right now you need to just take your mind off this and like you said, take their advice."

"Okay." Weiss couldn't say much else, knowing that Blake was right, and how she was hiding for a good reason. After waiting on Ruby and Yang to walk over, Weiss noticed that the blonde brawler wasn't looking very happy. "Yang, we don't need to worry about this anymore… It's done."

Yang wasn't exactly about to cool off from that, as she crossed her arms. "It's not about worrying. These guys shouldn't have been here in the first place. They're the ones that pretty much brought over that lunatic."

Ruby frowned, since she wasn't as upset with Torn and Nel, since the two were still injured, and they had no idea that all of them would be there in the first place.

"I already told you, it's done, Yang. So please can you just walk back to the airship with us…" Weiss pleaded, not wanting the blonde to start something for no reason.

"Fine." Yang walked past Weiss, and Blake noticed how upset she looked, more so in a saddened way than an angered one, so she started following her back to the airship.

Weiss sighed, and Ruby walked over, rubbing her shoulder as she gave her an encouraging smile. "Hey, it's all gonna okay now. She's going to, well, I hope jail, and we can just keep on becoming awesome huntresses together!"

She knew her girlfriend was trying to cheer her up, and it worked, since she still kept her dream of becoming a huntress alive. "I suppose I should remember that more often."

"Yup! Oh, hold on for a second." Ruby ran over to Nora and Ren, both sitting at the doorway of one of the homes. It was a significant home, but the two just needed to take a moment to take in their old home. "Hey, um… I just really wanted to say I'm sorry for all of this happening."

Both Ren and Nora looked confused by that, since Ruby hadn't caused any problem to begin with. "What are you apologizing for though?" Ren asked.

"It's just that a lot happened, and I was so focused on Weiss, when I should've thought about everyone just as much… We came here so you two could visit this place again, and even clean it up a bit, and maybe if I was more focused, I could've helped deal with that woman faster and nothing would've been broken down more." Ruby explained.

Nora chuckled a little, waving her off. "Sheesh, don't be so ridiculous. If anything, I'm the one with the explosives, so it's kinda on me, and besides," She glanced around, letting out a somber laugh. "It's not like it looks any different."

Ruby frowned at how she said that. "W-We can… Maybe-."

Ren shook his head. "Ruby it's okay, really. You all did a lot, and getting as far away from that woman is the number one priority." He got up from where he sat. "We got a lot of time, both of us… Thank you for coming with us all the way here." He gave a respectful and grateful bow to the rose girl.

Nora jumped up and bowed as well, while sticking her tongue out in a way to tease Ren. "Hehe, he likes to be all formal about this stuff." After she said that, Ren groaned a bit and lifted his head up, giving an unamused look towards the orange haired girl, who couldn't hold back her giggling at how he reacted.

Ruby was happy to see that the two of them were doing okay, even after the fighting against Mia had caused a little bit more damage to the town.

Since everyone was set to go back, they all made their way to the airship, while Nel watched them leave. "It's for the best, getting them to leave. No reason to let this idiot get them in the crossfire."

Torn decided to use his semblance at that point. " _I think it would be best to speak with my semblance. This woman could have a communication device on her."_

" _Eh, good point I guess, but what would we even say that… Oh, right, the pup. You said something about her mom, so what's that about exactly?"_ Nel questioned.

" _Lazuria, an old friend who only speaks with me when she isn't running after taking a Relentless down would mention a daughter, a white wolf, and you know how rare they are."_ Torn sighed. " _Sadly Lazuria is still on the run to this day, and with her having to abandon her child, it was that much harder on her."_

" _Damn, that's not exactly the best story you've told me, but I guess I can't call that one a story, even if we are considered fairy tales."_ Nel commented. " _Well, I doubt she'd see her any time soon then."_

" _It's hard to keep what I've learned today from the next time I see her, but I made a promise to the pup."_ Torn said, still wishing he could help Lazuria.

" _You can't exactly help everyone you come across, you old bird. Besides, I can tell that kid will want more answers. She'll ask about her mom at one point, just gotta keep that promise and meet up with her one day."_ Nel replied as she started dragging the tied up woman. " _Now come on, gotta get this one locked up so Vess can deal with her."_

Torn said nothing else and begin to follow after he changed into a smaller version of his animal form.

* * *

Pyrrha and Jaune ran over when they saw the group was finally coming over. "Guys! What happened down there?! All I saw was a woman on top of a pillar…" Jaune was a little more concerned, but only because he felt bad for not helping as much as he wanted to.

Yang sighed and crossed her arms. "A lot of bullshit that we really can't talk about right now, Jaune. Let's just get the hell away from here already." She made a quick glance over at Weiss, and she bit her lip when she saw her frowning.

" _I'm sorry, Ice Wolf… I shouldn't have messed with that Nel chick… At least then you'd be smiling..."_

Jaune and Pyrrha weren't exactly content with that answer, and he shook his head. "Wait, hold on for a second. Look, I know you guys were in a fight and all, but I think we should at least know what happened before just leaving."

Pyrrha spoke up next. "Jaune is right. I'd like to know what was endangering everyone before we return to Beacon. The only person I saw down there-."

"Was a murderer." Weiss said, interrupting the red haired huntress in training, and both Jaune and Pyrrha looked to her. "Yang is right, there is a lot to talk about, and right now the best thing to do is distance ourselves from her."

"D-Did she kill someone down there? Are there even people down there to begin with?" Jaune couldn't help but ask more questions.

Instead of answering, Weiss walked over to the door to the airship, pressing a button near it to open the door and she simply walked inside, as Klein gasped and ran up to her, embracing the white haired teen in a hug, but before the others could walk in as well, Ruby closed the door.

"Jaune, right now Weiss isn't in the best situation to answer a lot of questions… I can though, so if you guys wanna go inside-." Before Ruby could finish, Blake spoke up.

"I think it's best to give her a few minutes." Blake suggested, and Yang nodded in agreement.

Pyrrha's expression on her face showed even more concern at that point. "What does that person I shot have to do with Weiss? She said she was a murderer, right?"

Ruby nodded. "She didn't kill anyone down there, but she was close to. Two people, a man and a woman, were both attacked by that woman you shot… OH! I forgot to say, thanks for hitting her with that. I had a feeling it was you, Pyrrha." She gave her a smile.

"Jaune was keeping an eye out for the best time to shoot, so I simply did what I had to… And I'm just glad you're all okay, but still, you said she was a murderer, but hadn't killed anyone down there." Pyrrha said in a bit of a confused tone.

Yang spoke up after she lowered her arms. "Apparently that woman is part of a group of murderers, who… Who hunt down people that have the same…" She couldn't say the rest, and Ruby placed her hand on her sister's shoulder, giving her a smile that showed she would handle telling them.

"The people we met that were attacked can do what Weiss does… But we learned a lot that none of us ever thought was possible." Ruby started explaining, while Jaune and Pyrrha stayed silent to listen. "Apparently out in the world, there's animals that… Well, they can kinda become people, or, I guess not kinda. They can become people, humans, and that's the people that the group that woman is apart of hunts."

Jaune and Pyrrha were shocked by the information given to them. "H-Hunting people? Animals turning into humans? Ruby, what are you talking about?"

"I'm trying to explain that, Jaune." Ruby took a breath. "I don't know everything, but animals can become humans… I'm not sure how many, but the man down there said there aren't a lot on the planet."

Pyrrha was still unsure of what Ruby was telling her. "But Weiss can become a wolf with her semblance, so maybe that's what it is."

Blake chose to help her team leader. "Weiss still has her glyphs, her real semblance. The power to become a wolf, it's actually the power to become human."

Jaune was dumbfounded, and shook his head a bunch. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, no way. You can't just say that Weiss is just some sort of animal. She's clearly-."

Yang flared up, as her body had flames around it. "No one is calling her that! So just shut up and listen! She was born as a wolf, but she can become human. Nothing more, nothing less, and nothing is gonna change because of it, so get the hell in the airship and-." She felt Blake grab her arm, and she looked into the cat Faunus' eyes, which showed off a worried look in them, so Yang slowly calmed down and pulled away from her, choosing to walk away to be alone for a bit.

The others were taken aback by the sudden anger that Yang showed, and while Ruby was about to go after her, Blake held her arm out to stop her, giving her a look that showed she'd go talk with Yang.

After Blake started running over to catch up, Jaune looked down at the ground. "I'm sorry if I said something wrong…"

"You didn't." Ruby assured. "Trust me, all of us couldn't believe it either, but… Yang was right, we aren't letting this change anything… So please, I really want you all to promise that it won't."

Ren and Nora instantly nodded, seeing as the two were down there to begin with, while Pyrrha let out an assuring smile. "There's nothing to change whatsoever, Ruby. Though I do hope you'd be able to answer a few more questions back at Beacon."

"I'll do my best to answer them." Ruby promised.

Jaune rubbed the back of his head while looking towards the airship. "Yeah, I promise nothing will change… I just hope she's okay."

* * *

 **I wonder if you guys are picking up on this idea I'm working on, since again, most of this is go with the flow, so I tend to act on ideas that pop into my head.**

 **To JJ- I try my best to work on using the characters that are around, so I'm glad you're enjoying the spotlight on some of them. And yes, that was a nice moment for Weiss to drop the mic. Hoping you'll like this new idea I'm working on in the story.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 106. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 107.**


	107. Regret

**Here's chapter 107, everyone.**

* * *

Winter wasn't happy with how she chose to handle the situation at hand, since the soldiers she worked with were confused with how she wasn't up and ready to move out and bring the woman they had searched for to Atlas. "Ma'am, are you sure we shouldn't just return to Atlas?"

"The abnormality of what we have encountered needs to be further dealt with, and with how unusual it truly is, I will need to learn more details on this woman. Taking her to Atlas will not help with that." Winter reasoned.

"But wouldn't the General have more of a use for-." Before the soldier finished their question, Winter cut him off.

"We do not use people, even if they have animal like forms." With how she said it, the soldiers believed it was more of a semblance, though the two that were with Winter at the time of when they found Olivia had other suspicions. "So until I say we are ready to go, you all will remain outside the airship and defend it. Do I make myself clear?"

The soldiers stood up straight, their weapons at the ready as they focused on any possible hostiles in the area, and Winter simply nodded, hoping no one else would question her on the matter.

" _I need to find a good time to speak with Weiss… And to search for this woman's husband. He himself could help me understand more."_

While it was a little selfish for Winter to want to find Olivia's husband for information, she couldn't deny how much more she needed to know, all so that her sister could be absolutely safe.

The Atlas specialist was back on the airship, walking into the area that Olivia was staying in, and luckily the woman kept her word and wasn't trying to escape or use her animal form. "I'm getting ready to send out scouts for your husband. I need a description so they know who they're looking for." Winter wasted no time as she said all that immediately after walking in.

Olivia wasn't prepared by the sudden entrance, as she kept the sheets over her and looked over at the Atlas Specialist. "Oh, I didn't know you'd be back so fast… Um, my husband isn't one to stay out of his animal form, but still. I know you should still have an idea on how he looks as a human."

* * *

"What is wrong with them… They shouldn't be reacting the way they are." Yang grumbled to herself as she was a good distance away from the others, while facing away from the direction of where the airship was. "Especially Ruby…" She bit her lip, almost regretting what she said, but she continued as it was something she couldn't stop herself from saying. "That's your damn girlfriend. Why the hell are you smiling so much when shit like this just happened to her?"

"She's trying to keep things right, and being angry isn't going to help Weiss." Blake said, startling the blonde brawler as she gasped and turned to see her partner standing a few feet from her. "Yang, what's this all about?"

"B-Blake… Ugh, why couldn't you just let me cool off?" Yang groaned while turning away from her partner, as a light blush formed on her cheeks. "I don't need to talk to you right now… Okay."

Blake sighed. "It's not that you don't need to, it's that you don't want to, but why? What made you so angry with the others that you had to blow up like that? I'm not leaving till you tell me."

"You know I can just get on the airship and stay quiet. No one is forcing me to-." Before she could finish, Blake grabbed her arm and spun her around, though not that fast or forceful.

"Stop acting like I did when we first met." Blake said in a serious tone, surprising Yang, since she didn't expect Blake to call her out on her own way of behaving. "Clearly this is about Weiss, but you're not making it any clear why you're this angry with the others. They weren't the ones who told us what we learned down there."

Yang grit her teeth, not wanting to tell Blake exactly why she was so angry. "Look, I'm just tired of people not being angrier with this. Those people down there just turned her world upside down, and Ruby can just smile like nothing happened? What the hell is that about? And with Jaune, calling her an animal…" Yang growled a little. "She is not an animal… She's… She's my best friend for fuck's sake…"

Blake was a little caught off guard when she swore, but she had a feeling there was more to it than what Yang was saying. "He didn't call her an animal directly, and Ruby is trying to keep Weiss happy, something you should be grateful for, since I know she'd be worse without having people support her… I should know, you did the same for me."

The blonde brawler's eyes went wide. Her partner was right, she was keeping a positive attitude so much more around Blake to help her, and show her that life doesn't have to beat you down and keep you on the ground.

"T-That's different. You didn't learn any life changing parts of your life." Yang tried to counter, and Blake shook her head.

"I still told you a lot about my life that changed me for the worse, and even then, you were there, smiling… Showing me that I can still live a happy life and not worry about what I've done in the past. Your sister is making sure Weiss doesn't have to be scared of knowing who she is, and you should be doing the same instead of worrying more than her." Blake suggested, learning a lot from her partner from the talks they'd have.

"One, I know that nothing's gonna change, since I'll make sure myself, and two, I'm not worried about what we learned. I'm pissed that some random person would just drop something like this on her. Cause now she's not even smiling anymore…" Yang said with a saddened tone.

Blake was seeing more and more how much Yang seemed to care about Weiss' happiness, but before she could ask her something else, Yang continued.

"Ruby is being positive, fine, but… But she should be way more pissed than she is. Her girlfriend is in the worst place she could be in, and… And I just thought she'd be a bit more vocal about it," Yang looked to the ground. "If I was with Weiss, I'd…" She stopped herself for a moment, realizing what she said.

Yang and Ruby were friends with Weiss for years, going to her home at times for visits, and chatting with her over video call. It was apparent that Ruby did like her over the years, and that showed more so when they got together, but Yang herself had also grown fond of their white haired friend.

 **Three years earlier.**

"Ruby, you might wanna stop hopping in your seat. You might bring the airship down." Yang joked as she, her sister, Summer and Tai were all about to land in Atlas. "Weissy isn't going anywhere."

The rose girl blushed a little, and she stopped hopping in her seat. "Ugh, can't I be excited, sis?"

"Sure, I'm just messin with you." Yang chuckled a bit, as she felt the airship land. "Hey, we're here."

As the family of four stepped off the airship, Summer was the first to walk out, seeing that Willow was already waiting for them with Weiss. "Willow! Hey!" Summer set her bags down and ran over to hug her friend, who braced herself for the usual greeting that Summer brought.

Weiss was smiling at that, but mostly because she got to see Ruby and Yang again. "Hello, Mrs. Rose." She gave her a light wave, and after Summer pulled away from Willow, she smiled and moved over to hug the smaller Schnee.

"One day I'll get you to call me Summer, Snowflake." Summer chuckled lightly.

Willow playfully rolled her eyes and looked over to see Ruby was ahead of both Tai and Yang, obviously wanting to get to Weiss. So when Summer pulled away from Weiss, Ruby was there in an instant to take her place, making Weiss yelp as she wasn't expecting the immediate hug from Ruby.

"R-Ruby, you didn't even say hi yet!" Weiss cried out while feeling her friend hugging her tighter, making her blush a little.

"Hehe, sorry, but I missed you!" Ruby cheerfully said after pulling away, and as Tai walked over to greet Willow, Yang was behind him, watching Ruby and Weiss bickering about 'proper greetings'.

She was standing a good bit away, not wanting to get in between the two, but as she looked at Weiss, she saw her hair flowing a bit in the Atlas wind, and she felt her heart skip a beat. All she could do was focus on her, but after a few moments, Weiss noticed her.

"Hmm? Yang, are you okay?" Weiss asked as she walked up to the blonde, who lightly gasped and shook her head a few times to snap out of it.

"Huh? Oh, uh, sorry, Weissy. I get a little air sick sometimes. Just getting my bearings… Um, so how've you been?" Yang asked as she tried not looking directly into Weiss' eyes.

Weiss smiled and hugged the blonde, having missed her as much as Ruby. "I've been doing well, you oaf." She called her that since she knew Yang was lying about being air sick. "Now tell me what's really bothering you."

"W-Wha… I mean, I don't know. Sometimes I seriously gotta adjust is all. Atlas is freezing, woman." Yang joked her way out of it, and Weiss left it at that, since she chuckled a little and pulled away from the embrace.

"Well I told you that you should always bring something warm with you. Honestly, you could bring a scarf for once." Weiss chastised while looking up and down the blonde's attire. "In fact," Weiss walked back over and whispered something to her Mother, who nodded to her and gave her the two bags.

Ruby looked excited, while Yang was a little surprised, since it seemed that Weiss got them gifts. "Heh, didn't think you'd get us gifts, Weissy." Yang teased, and Weiss rolled her eyes.

"Hush and just look in your bags. I suspected you wouldn't come properly prepared for Atlas, oaf." Weiss said to Yang, and Ruby gasped when she looked in her bag.

"These are the weapon manufacturing books that even Mom couldn't get! How did you find these?!" Ruby squealed happily as she hugged the books against her chest.

Weiss smirked. "I don't really like using my name to get things, but for this exception, I simply asked my Mother to help me find these, with a little bit of name tossing."

Yang grinned. "Oh I am so making sure to remind you of this day, Weissy." As she said that, she looked in her own bag, and felt her heart skip a beat again. It was an orange scarf, one that she gently grabbed and brought up to her. "You… Got me a scarf?"

"Well, I did say I knew you'd come unprepared, and besides, I think it fits well with that outfit you showed me. The one you got last week, remember?" Weiss let out a small smile.

"I-I mean, well, yeah… I still gotta grow into it a bit, and… Wow this is really soft." Yang blushed as she kept looking at the scarf.

"Of course it is. Who would want an uncomfortable scarf to wear?" Weiss questioned with a light chuckle, and Yang smiled.

"Yeah, right… Thank you, Weiss." Yang smiled and went back to hug the smaller girl, blushing a bit as she felt even more of an affection to her.

 **Present Day.**

Yang looked down at her scarf, realizing that through the years, she was hiding how she felt about Weiss, for her own sister's sake, since she knew just how much Ruby loved the white haired girl. It was selfless, but, in turn it brought her pain that she hid away.

A moment later, she lifted her head back up and looked at her partner. The times they'd talk, and the times they'd hug, it reminded her of how she felt about Weiss, and to Yang, it was growing even more than that.

Regret filled her mind, so Yang took a few steps forward and did something on impulse. She grabbed her partner's cheeks and pressed her lips onto Blake's.

* * *

 **To put this with context, this story is as I have said before, a go with the flow story. I have points of interest to get to, but the in between is fair game. When I first started this story, it was either gonna be White Rose or Freezerburn, so I made sure that Yang was always a possibility in the beginning, but of course that ended up with Ruby being with Weiss. This chapter shows that even though it ended up being White Rose, I felt that having Yang liking Weiss, was always a factor, so now you know why she felt the way she did.**

 **To JJ- Pyrrha and Jaune are pretty easy to work well with, so yeah they have good synergy. The team will never change their views on Weiss, especially Ruby, that much I can promise. And with fluff, well they need to get back to Beacon first, and of course Weiss will need to talk with her Mother about all this.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 107. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 108.**


	108. No More Regrets

**Here's chapter 108, everyone.**

* * *

"And you say his animal form is that of a bear as well? Okay, well that's still going to be difficult, but we can at least try, but I warn you now, I have no intentions of staying here for that long. If we can't find him-." Before Winter could finish, Olivia cut in.

"I know… I already thanked you for at least trying. For now, may I rest?" After hearing the possibility of leaving Mistral without knowing if her husband was even alive, Olivia wasn't in a good talking mood at that point.

Winter wasn't about to argue, since she got all the information she needed from Olivia, though with her orders and the fact that the other soldiers, and the pilot knew of Olivia, she couldn't let her go.

" _For now, she isn't a danger."_

While she did say that to herself, Winter was still one to follow orders, so she walked out after nodding to Olivia and closed the door behind her, as the Hidden woman sighed to herself and laid on the bed, thinking of her husband.

After she walked out, Winter thought of the places she could search for Olivia's husband, and with how he would stay in bear form. She looked outside and bit her lip, hating that it was still late, since her sister was more than likely sleeping, but Winter's worries caught up and she chose that getting chewed out for waking her up was worth it, if it meant making sure her little sister was safe.

Her scroll was out in an instant, and Winter left the airship to speak alone, away from the team after she informed them she'd scout a bit alone, while also ordering a group to scout in a different direction for sighting Olivia's husband.

None of them questioned her and split off, some going to search for Olivia's husband, while the others stayed behind to guard the airship.

Winter swiped her scroll until she got to her sister's name in the contact list, and as she pressed the screen, she took a breath, choosing to keep it as a purely voice call. " _Please answer…"_

After a few moments, the Atlas Specialist was greeted by the somber tone of her sister. "Winter… W-Winter, I… I didn't think you'd call this late."

From the way Weiss sounded, Winter grew more concerned. "Weiss? What's wrong?" When she asked, she could also hear Klein in the background, telling her it was best to sit and rest, and it surprised Winter. "Is that Klein?"

"W-Winter, what do you know about when Mother brought me home… When she brought me after taking me in from my birth Mother?" Weiss asked, as her voice still sounded somber.

The questioned caught her off guard, and after a few moments of thinking how to answer that, the Atlas Specialist spoke. "I was confused, back then, since Mother never looked pregnant, but from how we Schnees have distinct features, I just thought, maybe she was pregnant the whole time and just didn't show it somehow… I was a fool to think so, and I wish I would've known the truth earlier, but why-."

"I'm not… I'm not who I thought I was, Winter." Weiss' words had struck hard.

Winter tensed up, since the way she said that was concerning. "What is going on? Weiss, put Klein on right now." She demanded to know what could make her sister talk like that.

Weiss couldn't muster the strength to say any more, so she handed her scroll to Klein. "Miss Winter… Now is not the best time for your sister to speak."

Klein bit his lip when he thought about how hurt Weiss looked when she entered the airship.

 **Twenty Minutes Earlier.**

"Snowflake? What's wrong?" Klein asked as he got up from the pilot seat after seeing only Weiss walking in, looking outright depressed, so he embraced her in a hug in hopes of helping her feel better.

Weiss sniffled and tensed up when she heard his voice, since she was afraid to ask him if he truly knew. "K-Klein… I met people down there, and I can't ignore this… Did you," She took a breath. "Did you know that I wasn't born as a human?"

Klein's eyes were as wide as ever, and his heart began to race, thinking about the day when he drove Willow back to the manor after she took Weiss in. "W-What are you-."

"I know the truth now, and I need to know, did you know too? Did Mother tell you, or did she keep it from you like she did me…" Weiss asked, while a few tears began to fall, since the way he reacted was close enough to the answer she feared.

He couldn't keep a lie like that going, not when Weiss herself knew, and not while she sounded the way she did. "Snowflake… Yes, I don't know how you found out, but yes… I've known since the day you were born."

Weiss bit her lip, and she almost fell to her knees, but she kept herself standing. "Why? Why would you and Mother keep this from me?" She promised herself she wouldn't yell or cry, as she stood there, listening.

"How much do you know, and how did you find out, Snow… Weiss?" Klein couldn't use the nickname he gave her, as he felt that he betrayed her trust.

"People, people down there in that town could do everything I do. Become an animal, and… I thought it was a semblance, but then they showed me that the semblance I really have, are the glyphs I make." Weiss thought back to when she first used her glyphs and silently chuckled a little. "It… Makes sense now I guess."

Klein hugged her a little tighter. "Your Mother wanted you to live a happier life than the one you'd have if you knew. Please, don't fault her for that."

"Mother has kept a lot from me, and… I want to be mad, to yell, to cry, to not speak to her, but I can't. She was always there, and even with this, I… I don't want my life to change, but I just needed to know if you knew as well." Weiss had her arms down, since she couldn't muster the strength to hug back.

"You have every right to be angry… I can't apologize. Your forgiveness is not something I can have." Klein felt terrible, and Weiss finally hugged him back.

"How can you say that?" Weiss buried her face into Klein's shoulder. "You've been the Father I never had… Not my birth Father, or… Jacques. Neither were there for me, but you always were." Weiss fought back her tears. "Of course I'd always forgive you… I love you, dad..."

Klein's heart broke when he heard that, since the long lie he had to keep was finally catching up and hurting his Snowflake, so he cried for her and hugged her as tight as he could. "I love you too, Snowflake."

 **Present Time.**

"Then explain why she's on the verge of crying. I want answers right now, Klein, and why are you there at Beacon? It's-." Before Winter could say more, Klein spoke.

"I'm not at Beacon, Miss Winter. We are near a town call Kuroyuri, and I chose to help bring your sister and her friends here." Klein began to explain, and Weiss knew Winter would be a little upset with her.

"What?! Why would you bring her there?! I know of the reports, Klein. That town was overrun and… Ugh! Don't you dare leave that place, I'm taking my airship there right this instant." Winter said in an angered tone.

Weiss only heard when Winter yelled, so she got up and gently took the scroll from Klein. "Winter, please don't be angry with Klein. I asked him to take us here."

Winter didn't think her sister would speak again, so she sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I don't know why you'd ever think going to a town that was destroyed by Grimm would be a smart idea, Weiss. I'm going over there, since I'm not even that far to begin with."

Since she didn't hear that when Winter was talking with Klein, Weiss' body tensed up. "W-What? Winter, no, I can't stay here any longer…"

"You don't think I know the dangers… I'm… I'm just not happy that you chose to go there, and… I want to speak with you in person." Winter secretly wanted to talk to Weiss in person, but since she was on a mission, going to Beacon would not be an option.

Weiss looked outside one of the windows of the airship, and she took a breath, feeling that her sister would keep her safe even more so, but she needed to get there soon. "Please hurry…"

"I will." Winter ended the call and sent a message to her soldiers to meet back up in the airship, even the scouts.

" _I'm sorry, Olivia, but my sister is my top priority."_

* * *

The world around Blake froze, not even the wind was something she could hear, as she felt Yang's lips on her, as her cat ears shot up under her bow, and her heart was racing. After a few seconds of holding the kiss, she pulled back and gasped. "Y-Yang?"

Yang realized what she had done, as her face was red and she turned away, not wanting to look her partner in the eyes. "Crap… Crap, crap, crap, I didn't… UGH! Just go away…"

Blake blushed as she lifted two fingers up and placed them on her lips, feeling no anger with what Yang did, so she lowered her hand and took a step forward. "Hey, you can't just turn away from me when you do that… You'd say the same to me…"

The blonde brawler knew she was right, but that still didn't make her turn around. "Look, it was on impulse okay."

"Fine, you can say what it was, but that still doesn't mean you can't look at me." Blake was started to sound hurt by how Yang was acting.

"W-What, I…" Yang slowly turned around, still blushing heavily as she saw the hurt expression on her partner's face. "Blake…"

"You kissed me. And then you say it's on impulse… Was it real? Did you even want to?" Blake needed to know, since things were happening so much faster than she expected, ever since she admitted to Ruby that she likes Yang.

Yang kicked the dirt under her and looked down at her feet. "Of course I wanted to," She grumbled the next part. "I wouldn't have done it if I didn't."

Blake sighed, choosing to kneel down as she grabbed Yang's arm, bringing her slowly down with her. "Stop looking away from me."

"H-How do you expect me to look at you after making an idiot of myself?" Yang asked, wishing she had just waited after all.

"You didn't make an idiot out of yourself." Blake stated, and she decided to ask something that she had suspicions on. "Weiss. Do you like her?"

Yang chuckled a little. "You're a good detective… But, well, I mean I really did. I liked her for a few years, but you know what happened. She's with Ruby now, and… I realized that I regretted not telling her how I felt."

Blake's ears drooped. "Am I-."

"Don't you dare say you're a rebound." Yang angrily demanded, but she wasn't mad at Blake. She was mad at herself for making Blake even have that as a thought. "You didn't let me finish." Blake stayed quiet. "A few years ago I realized I liked Weiss a lot, but I knew how much Ruby loved her, so I backed off."

Hearing Yang talk like that reminded Blake of how the blonde admitted feeling like the odd one out in her family, so she took Yang's hand and continued letting her speak.

Yang let out a small smile from feeling Blake do that. "I watched them talk a lot, and… Grow so much closer than she and I could, so I slowly realized that my feelings had to go away, but they didn't. At least… They didn't till I met you."

Blake's cat ears twitched at that, and her blush reddened.

"Heh, I didn't think I could make you blush this much, Shadowcat." Yang's smile grew, and Blake loved seeing that smile.

It was one that made her feel just as happy as Yang did, and it was one that she always wanted to see. Just as Yang wanted Weiss to smile, Blake wanted Yang to always smile, so before she knew it, Blake leaned in and kissed Yang in return, and the blonde was taken aback, but after spilling her feelings out like that, she couldn't just ignore the kiss, so she closed her eyes and held the back of Blake's head as the two kissed.

" _Blake…_

" _Yang…"_

* * *

 **So the end part here was a little throwback to the chapter where Ruby and Weiss kissed. Wondering if anyone had actually caught that, and with this, you can see Yang does have feelings for Blake, and it's not just a rebound.  
**

 **To JJ- Glad you liked the idea I had for Yang here, as it does add more to her character, and how selfless she is, but to answer your question, well, she does in fact care about her partner as much as she did Weiss. She does still hold feelings for Weiss, but in time she's come to accept that Ruby and Weiss do love each other, and she's not the kind of person to get in the way of that.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 108. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 109.**


	109. What It Meant

**Here's chapter 109, everyone.**

* * *

"Are you sure you want to go back there? It's late, and the moron may give you shit, unless you'd want me to go in with you." Raven offered, as she and Willow were looking over at the manor in the distance.

Willow sighed. "I'm not about to let him intimidate me. Besides, if I rely on you for everything, I won't be able to ever face him when you're not around."

Raven knew she was right on that, so she simply nodded. "Remember something. Just because of what happened tonight, doesn't mean I'll go easy on you with training. Be prepared."

"I know, and thank you, Raven." Willow chose to offer her a handshake for the time being, as their relationship couldn't be official until Willow dealt with Jacques.

The black haired huntress shook her hand in response, while thinking to herself on whether she'll tell Lazuria about what happened. "Don't thank me till you actually get that moron out of your life."

Willow let out a smile, knowing Raven wouldn't directly say she was worried about her. "Right. You should get going too. Just because you're a huntress, doesn't mean you can't freeze out here."

Raven shrugged. "I'll be fine. Oh, and don't tell Summer about this. I don't need her bombarding me with a thousand questions."

The white haired woman chuckled a little. "Don't over exaggerate. It would only be about one hundred questions."

"Ugh, just don't tell her." Raven pleaded, and Willow agreed, both going their separate ways that night, as Willow returned to the manor, and Raven began making her way back to the warehouse where Qrow and Lazuria were.

As Willow got into the manor, she noticed that while it was late, the dining room light was on, so she walked over and saw that her son was sitting at the dining table. "Whitley?" The boy didn't hear her, as he was in his own little world at the moment, so she walked over to her son. "Honey, what are you doing in the dining room this late?"

Being much closer, Whitley was able to hear his Mother as he looked over his shoulder. "Mother… Where were you? Father wasn't very happy when he noticed you were still out."

Willow wanted to roll her eyes, but she wasn't talking to her husband, so she wanted to avoid worrying her son. "I was out eating dinner, honey. I'm sorry I wasn't here earlier."

Whitley hummed in response. "I don't believe that dinner takes this long to eat, Mother. Why is it that you can talk to Weiss and Winter about what you do, but not me…"

"W-What? Honey, what would make you think that?" Willow asked in shock of what her son said.

"Forget it." Whitley got up from his chair. "I'm going to bed… I simply just wanted to know when you'd come back. If you'll excuse me-."

Before he could take another step, his Mother gently grabbed his arm. "I'm sorry if I ever made you feel neglected, Whitley… If you want to know, I was out training with Raven. After that, we went to eat and it was much later than I expected."

She couldn't ignore her son, she wouldn't ignore her son. "Training? Oh, right… I tend to forget you do that…" He sighed a bit. "Mother, you and Father don't care much for each other… Do you?"

That got Willow to tense up. Of course her son would notice how she and Jacques' relationship had slowly crumbled throughout the years. "It's not… I don't know. Your Father is a very," She thought of a word that was appropriate to say in front of her son. "Difficult man, but you don't-."

"Don't say I don't need to worry." Whitley bit his lip. "You're my parents…"

Willow's eyes widened. She didn't think even once about how her children may be affected by her choice to divorce her husband. "Whitley… I didn't mean it that way. Yes, you are allowed to be worried, but I just don't want you to become overly stressed over something your Father and I can talk about with each other."

"But you never talk. You both ignore each other, and sometimes I see how you both look at each other… What's talking going to do at this point when all I ever hear is how he thinks you act foolish, or how you call him difficult…" Whitley was tired of staying quiet. "You're both married! I thought… I thought you'd fix it one day."

Ever since Weiss' birthday dinner that Jacques almost completely ruined years ago, Whitley was always afraid of the confrontations his parents would have, and he wasn't dumb. He noticed it all, and how they truly didn't love each other.

Without a second thought, Willow kneeled down and hugged her son, biting her lip as well as she felt terrible. "Honey, I am so sorry, so very sorry. I was so busy thinking about how unhappy I've been with your Father, that I didn't think about how much you were being hurt by it." She almost teared up. "I don't want you thinking that our family will fall apart. I swear I'll-."

"Don't make promises." Whitley outright said, making Willow stay silent as he slowly wrapped his arms around his Mother. "You don't love Father… And he doesn't love you… Right?"

Willow lowered her head in shame. "Yes."

"Was it because of me? Because he only focuses on me…" Whitley, again, wasn't dumb. He noticed how much his Father would groom him to be his 'perfect' heir, and how Jacques almost never really acknowledged Weiss and Winter, so he truly believed he was at fault on how his Father behaved.

His Mother pulled away and looked straight at him. "Don't you say that, honey. You were never the cause of that. This is between your Father and I." She kissed his forehead.

Whitley wasn't completely convinced by the immediate answer, as he always felt he played a part in his parent's falling out. "But, it would be better if he showed interest in Weiss and Winter… If I wasn't-."

"Stop it!" Willow raised her voice, knowing exactly where her son was about to go with that sentence, and she was shaking a bit, as she felt that she messed up horribly by not getting her son away from Jacques' influence sooner, so she took his hands in her own. "I love you, I love your sisters, and I will never, not once, not even for a second regret having you. You are so much more than the heir to the company, my sweet baby boy."

Hearing that made Whitley freeze, and his Mother squeezed his hands.

"You can do anything with your life, and I will support you, I will be there to help you. So please, stop thinking that you are a problem, because you are not… I'm the one who has made mistakes, I'm the one who didn't realize sooner, that you kids are affected much more by how your Father and I have behaved…" Willow felt a few tears fall, and Whitley gasped when noticed.

"M-Mother?" Whitley didn't like the sight of his Mother crying, so she sniffled and wiped a few tears away, letting out a somber smile to show she was going to be okay.

"Shh, I'm okay, I just… I don't want you to feel neglected anymore. I want to take you out to meet people I've met in my life, and show you there's more to life than the company. Okay? Would you like that?" Willow wanted to bond with her son, show him that she would never abandon him, even if she and Jacques split up.

The offer was something Whitley needed to hear, as he always wanted to do more than what his Father made him do, so he didn't hesitate. "I think… I would like that, yes."

Willow was so happy he was accepting her offer, as she sniffled and let go of his hands. "Good. Anywhere you want to start, I'll happily take you. Whether it be meeting my instructor, or just going into town."

"I think… I'd like it if we met this woman who is training you. You said her name was Raven, correct?" Willow nodded, and he thought about the name. "Oh… She's on Mrs. Rose's team… I remember now."

"That's right." Willow was actually glad her son remembered those details. "Huntresses, both of them, and they have two others on their team as well. You can meet them too. They're all good friends of mine." She left out the arguments she's had with Qrow in the past about drinking habits that he had, and how she could only imagine herself in some other alternate reality being a drunk like he was.

Whitley nodded and looked over his shoulder. "Okay... I think I'd like to return to my room for the night, Mother."

"I can walk you back." Willow offered, but before she could, she heard footsteps and turned to see Jacques was standing at the arch of dining room entrance. "Jacques… Honey, go on to your room. And don't forget what we talked about."

He knew they were more than likely about to argue, so he didn't want to be there when it happened. Still, with his Father finally there, he chose to hug his Mother, wanting to show his Father that he wasn't afraid to show how he feels.

Willow smiled and hugged him back, and she glanced over at her husband, seeing his unhappy, and outright annoyed look. As she released her son, he walked out and passed his Father, who chose not to even acknowledge him.

"So… Coming home late into the night I see." Jacques started.

"I'm not going to yell tonight, Jacques. Our son is hurt by this, and… And I blame more than just you. I blame myself. So if you want to speak like adults, I can happily do that." Willow said as she took a seat on one of the dining room chairs.

Jacques was still in his suit, as he was waiting most of the night to see what his wife was doing. "You clearly still act like a rebellious teenager for someone who wishes to have an 'adult' conversation." He walked over to the head of the table, with his holier than thou attitude. As he took a seat, he folded his hands and looked directly at his wife. "What is your play?"

"There is no play, Jacques. If you want the truth, I was out training with a friend of mine, a woman, so don't get any ideas." She was doing her best to throw him off. "After that I chose to have dinner, seeing as it was late."

"Training…" Jacques rolled his eyes. "Such a waste of time, and all for a barbaric use of these so called semblances. This manor is protected, and yet you choose to waste energy and time on-."

"It's my time and energy, so what's the problem with what I want to do?" Willow asked outright.

Jacques sighed. "I have given you more than enough to stay happy, ever since your Father made the right choice to hand the company over to me. Money, a roof over your head, and kids you put over others… What more do you want?"

Willow was disgusted with how he spoke, as he made it seem like he was doing more than just running a company. "You neglect your children, you insult me, you married into the family just for the company… And you still think you're a good person?" She stood up and glared at him. "You never loved me… How do you think that makes me feel?"

"Love is just a measurement, and if you can't handle that-." Jacques stopped when he noticed she was tearing up.

"What is wrong with you?!" Willow hated that she broke her promise to not yell. "We had kids together! A family! Why can't you love your family like a Father and husband should?! Are we just pawns to you?!"

Jacques sat there, stunned by how she yelled the truth at him, but he got up and fixed up his tie. "If you can't speak without raising your voice, then-."

Willow walked over and grabbed his arm, looking directly at him. "Kiss me and say exactly what it means to you… Do it right now."

"Excuse me?" Jacques was taken aback, and Willow growled, choosing to kiss him right then and there. The kiss meant nothing to Willow, as she had found someone who actually loved her.

It was a short kiss, and while it meant nothing to Willow, Jacques began remembering the days when he first met Willow, and how he did want to marry into the company, but even if it was a spark, back then, he did care for her.

After pulling away from the kiss, Willow wiped her mouth. "Well? What did that mean to you? Because after the years of being stepped on, that meant nothing to me, Jacques."

Jacques was in stunned silence. His motives were always to be at the top, above everyone else to live the easy life, but as he looked at his wife, he caught a glimpse of her in her younger years when they first met, but before he could say anything, she pushed passed him.

"Goodnight, Jacques." Willow said with venom in her voice, as she left Jacques to contemplate on how he felt.

* * *

 **Sorry if people wanted more on the other characters, but I felt this chapter was something that needed to focus on Willow, Whitley and Jacques overall. Hope that's okay, as the next chapter will get back to the others.**

 **To JJ- To me, in canon and in this story, Klein is Weiss' dad. So yeah, I had to get that in. Olivia won't be happy with having to make detours, but as Winter said, Weiss is her top priority. It all depends on what happens next.**

 **To GoldElite245- Bumbleby is here, but let's see where they both stand on it, as they do still need to talk about what just happened between them. As for Olivia, well you'll see.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 109. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 110.**


	110. Mythical

**Here's chapter 110, everyone.**

* * *

Weiss stepped out of the airship, seeing as she already knew that not telling the others about not leaving for Beacon yet wouldn't be the best idea, so as she got out, her partner ran over to hug her. "Ruby," She sighed. "Let's not make a scene right now. I've got some things I need to say."

Ruby didn't want to let go of her, but after a moment of hearing back on how her partner sounded, she thought it was best to not make a big deal out of it in front of Team JNPR. "Are you okay?"

"It doesn't matter, Ruby. Right now we have to wait a bit longer than expected." The got Ruby to tense up, as Jaune looked concerned and spoke up.

"Wait, you guys kept saying we needed to leave sooner than later. What's the point of staying any longer than we need to then?" While he didn't want to upset Weiss with more questions, the safety of his friends mattered more to him.

Weiss wasn't angry, or even annoyed by the question, so she looked directly at the boy. "My sister found out that we're out here, and supposedly she's close, so… She's requested that we stay here until she arrives."

Ruby was taken aback, hearing that Winter was somewhere not too far. "What? No, you had to have told her that we need to go, right?"

"I did, but… Look, Ruby, I can't explain everything on this. All I know is that she asked me to stay here till she gets here. As long as we're safe-." Before she could finish, Ren spoke up.

"No offense, but Nora and I learned more down there than Jaune and Pyrrha. So I think before you continue with this, it's only fair to let them know too." Ren acted as a mediator at that point.

Weiss sighed, knowing he was right about keeping them in the dark, so she turned to face the two partners. "I'm sure that someone probably told you about me… Not being born as a human." After saying that, Weiss took note of how Blake and Yang weren't there, but since the others weren't freaking out about that either, she chose not to question it yet.

Pyrrha chose to speak first. "It doesn't sound possible, but yes, we were told you can become human, and not the other way around."

"That's the short version, and honestly, just learning the long version a bit ago doesn't help me explain this any better… But I guess my Mother… Which, at this point I need to explain this as well. My birth Mother is something called a Hidden. An animal that can, for a simple explanation, turn into a human…" Weiss trailed off, and Jaune was shocked by everything he was learning.

"Birth Mother?" Jaune looked concerned for the girl.

Weiss let out a somber chuckle. "Yes. I'm not… A Schnee by blood, but besides that, my birth Mother and Father, no not the Father I've lived with, had me, and… I guess that means I was born as a wolf."

Ruby bit her lip, wanting her partner to stop, since she felt it was hurting her too much to say.

"I… I don't know what to say… Well, no, I do," Jaune spoke in a serious tone. "Look, this doesn't mean anything. I mean, it does, but what I'm trying to say is that it doesn't matter what you were born as. You're still, well, you." The boy kept his promise to Ruby on not making drastic changes against Weiss.

The white haired teen looked to the ground. "Yes, I am, but… There's more. Hunters that look specifically for," She sighed. "Hidden. They want to kill them for whatever reason, which means that I can't use my semb… My power." Weiss truly felt pained at not being able to call her power to become a wolf, or in her case, a human, her semblance any more.

Ruby shook her head a few times and balled her fists up. "No, you can't be afraid to use what you learned how to control for all these years, Weiss. Especially when you know that you can still use it, and not use your glyphs while being a wolf. I know you'll be okay like that."

Weiss was surprised that Ruby was encouraging her to use her power, as she always felt that Ruby was too overprotective of her to begin with. "But… What if-."

"Nothing will ever happen, because I won't let it happen." Ruby unballed her fists and took her girlfriend's hand, looking as serious as she's ever been. "Those people… They're the kind of people that huntresses and huntsmen fight off. We're not learning to just beat Grimm, so I'm doing my job as a huntress in training, and making sure they won't go after you."

While her words meant a lot to Weiss, it wasn't a one hundred percent assurance to her that she was safe, but it still helped her feel somewhat better about the thought of using the power she's always had.

"Ruby… I'm still not sure… I can still learn to just fight with my glyphs instead." Weiss stated.

"But then you'd be forced to make huge changes… I made a promise to you that nothing will change, and… And I don't want them scaring you into not being who you are." Ruby frowned, and Weiss' eyes widened.

The Relentless not only hunted down Hidden, they put fear into them, keeping them as their namesake, and she was no exception, if she were to close herself off and refuse to use her Hidden power.

"You can't let them scare you." Ruby gently squeezed her hand. "I never knew about how you can be a wolf till initiation, but now that I do I wish I did, because I would've gotten to see how much you learned, and how much you've done trying to fight like no one else does." She let go of Weiss' hand and cupped her cheek. "You're Weiss, and you can't ever let those people change who you are." She didn't care that the others were there, as she leaned in and kissed her partner, and Weiss felt her heart flutter, as both the kiss and Ruby's words fended off some of the fear she had.

Jaune looked away and scratched the back of his head as he blushed a little, while Pyrrha let out a small smile for the white rose couple, and thought about how she herself wanted that with her partner someday. Ren and Nora both were happy for the two as well, with Nora grinned as she linked her arm with Ren's.

Weiss closed her eyes and melted into the kiss, as she thought more about her Hidden power.

" _She's right. I can't let anyone scare me from being who I am."_

* * *

Blake and Yang were still together, not wanting to go back to the others just yet. The blonde was taking it all in, having kissed her partner two times that night. "Tonight has been pretty crazy."

The comment made Blake nod, as she pulled away from her partner and glanced back over in the direction of the airship. "More than I ever expected would happen. We should get back though. No telling who else may show up."

Even though they both wanted more time to themselves, Yang instantly agreed, seeing as it was Weiss who was more in danger of possible Relentless members showing up. "Yeah, but, well, I wanted to ask if you could keep what happened here to just us for now. With how much Weiss is dealing with, just up and saying we kissed isn't really something to announce."

Blake understood what she meant, since Ruby and Weiss would both need time before receiving any kind of news. "I won't say anything." As the two began to walk back, Yang started speaking.

"Hey, uh, about what we did." Yang let out a light blush. "I'm not trying to ask dumb questions, but we're, y'know, together now, right?"

The cat Faunus rolled her eyes. "If the kiss meant something to you, yes, if not, I'll have to claw your eyes out."

Yang was surprised that Blake would make a clawing joke like that, so she snorted and wrapped an arm around her partner. "I'm glad that my jokes seem to rub off on you, Shadowcat."

"This may be the shortest relationship I've been in if you keep calling me that." Blake threatened, though of course jokingly, as Yang grinned.

"Heh, okay, okay, I'll lay off on the nickname for a bit, but you should know from how much I call Weiss, Ice Wolf, that it won't be gone forever." As she said that, Blake couldn't help but smile.

In response, the cat Faunus shrugged. "My threat will still be in play here and there, but… If I can say something," Both of them stopped and Yang unwrapped her arm from her partner, as Blake got her scroll out.

A few moments of looking through her photos later, the cat Faunus took a breath and showed Yang the art she took a picture of.

Yang's eyes widened, as it was the same picture she caught a glimpse of before. A cat and a dragon. "Blake, this is-."

"It's what I feel represents us… And I know I made myself obvious, but you always made me see you as a dragon." Blake let out a blush, and Yang stayed quiet to hear why. "It's your fiery personality… And dragons are mythical, and… meeting you, for awhile now, you always seemed mythical to me, as in… Too good to be real."

The blonde wasn't about to joke or laugh. "Me? Blake, I… I don't know what to say." She gently pulled her partner over, and Blake leaned her herself against Yang. "Mythical. That's not something I thought anyone would ever call me."

"You've always been the one. The person I never thought existed, yet here you are." Blake teared up a bit, since she remembered her time with Adam, and how abusive he was. And how Yang was the complete opposite of that monster. "You never once hurt me…"

Yang's body tensed up, and she bit her lip, picturing Blake's scars and hating the person who caused them to be there, so she placed her hand on the back of Blake's head. "And I never will."

Blake took a breath and nodded, pulling back a few moments later, as she didn't want to be overly dramatic. "Thank you, but… We really do need to get back now."

"Right, and by the way, the art," Yang let out a smile. "I love it."

* * *

Winter was sighing to herself, as she walked into the room that Olivia was in on her airship. The Hidden woman looked over, seeing the expression on Winter's face, one of concern. "What's wrong?"

"For the time being, I need to delay searching for your husband." Olivia tensed up, but Winter continued. "My sister, she's not too far from here, and she's near a town that was overrun by Grimm not too long ago… I need to make sure she's safe. I'm sorry."

Olivia's heart almost dropped, but she knew that family always came first in some people's eyes, so she held her breath and gripped the sheets. "Will you… Will you still let me try to find him after?"

Winter couldn't take many risks, but with learning more about the Hidden, she knew just how serious things could get, and with her sister being one of those Hidden, a bit of bias made her want to help Olivia. "I can at least promise to still try with the less time we'll have. It's all I can do."

"Okay… If we're going there, may I request something?" The bear Hidden's question was a bit odd, since Winter was already offering help on finding her husband, so she had no idea what else she'd want.

"Go ahead, and if it's something I can do-."

"Your sister. I'd like to talk to her." Olivia made Winter freeze, and the Atlas Specialist almost said no.

"Why would you want to? She has no idea about your kind, and while I will warn her about it, that doesn't mean I wish to drop this all on her when I get there." Winter said in a serious tone.

Olivia frowned. "It's just rare to meet other new Hidden in the world, and I just, I wanted to meet her, since you yourself have been very kind to me."

Winter held her arms behind her back. "I'll only let you speak to her if you don't tell her that she's a Hidden. I don't want her learning in such a way."

"If that's all, then I'll agree not to." Olivia promised.

* * *

 **Too bad Winter doesn't know that her sister has already learned of who she really is. And while these chapters seem a little slow, I promise that once we get back to Beacon, it'll pick up. This is just the last set up/explanation of Weiss' heritage for both Winter's arrival, and JNPR learning about who Weiss is.  
**

 **To JJ- Honestly, that chapter was something I wanted to get to for so long. The kiss was a curve ball, as I wanted to show that Willow truly doesn't hold any feelings for Jacques any more. And while people hate Jacques (Trust me, I do as well), he is still (technically) human, and people can regret their actions. How much he regrets is still to be seen though.**

 **To Obsessive Reader- Thank you for understanding. I like to try and get chapters out as soon as I can with the schedule I run, and sometimes chapters end up being short or focus solely on one group, so I'm just grateful that a lot of people still enjoy those chapters.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 110. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 111.**


	111. Looking To Others

**Here's chapter 111, everyone.**

* * *

"So, finally decided to come back? You know I've been keeping watch way longer than you would've." Qrow complained as his sister walked into the warehouse they were using. "Seriously. The hell were you?"

Raven rolled her eyes and set her blade down on one of the tables, looking over at a sleeping Lazuria, who was using one of the sleeping rolls that Tai chose to get for the team. "None of your business, and quit complaining. If you didn't want to stay up this late, you shouldn't have offered to take watch."

"I didn't. You just walked out to train Willow." Qrow said as he almost reached for his flask, but shook his head, since he honestly wanted sleep more than alcohol. "Just take watch, I'm going to bed."

"Do what you want." Raven wasn't paying much attention to her brother, as she glanced over at her ex-husband, seeing that he too was asleep, and she guessed Qrow avoided waking him up because of a possible fight that could break out.

" _We need to focus on The Relentless. Willow will still be there after all of this is done."_

While Raven had her own thoughts on how she wanted things to go with Willow, she was a huntress in the end. So she kept her feelings in check and thought more about how to find The Relentless main HQ.

" _Reverse tracking is what we can work with. Faking her death won't do a thing, if their power in tracking goes off a mark. Damn it, there has to be more than just-."_

She snapped out of it when she heard someone walking into the main entrance, so she quickly turned around, ready to grab her blade, but when she saw who it was, she was surprised. "Summer? I was wondering where you were."

"I went out to look for you." The blacksmith said as she walked over and sat next to her friend. "I know you went to train Willow today, but getting back this late… Was everything okay?"

Raven glanced over her shoulder, seeing that Qrow, Tai and Lazuria were all asleep, so she sighed and looked back at the rose woman. "Willow was being annoying about getting food, so I just went and had a late dinner. Now she's back home dealing with the moron."

Summer was surprised that Raven would ever accept going out for dinner with Willow Schnee. "Really? Wait, you mean like an actual dinner? Restaurant and all that?"

"Yes, why are you surprised? I've eaten at restaurants before." Raven gave her a deadpanned look.

"Huh? No, I mean, well, going to one with Willow is what I'm kinda surprised by. You always say stuff about not liking Atlas and their high maintanence ways, so-." Before Summer could finish, Raven spoke.

"Willow isn't like the rest of Atlas, and besides, we were both hungry and she did well during her training. The food in the cabin wouldn't have been much of a reward for her." Raven explained, trying not to tell what really happened.

Summer blinked a few times. "Uh, I don't think Willow would wanna go out to a restaurant this late though." As she said that, she simply shrugged. "Eh, I can't really complain. Glad to see you're finally opening up to her though. Always calling her an idiot, I never once thought you'd go out to dinner with her."

Raven looked away, not choosing to respond as she herself knew that Willow meant a lot to her, but she wanted to get back to the mission.

"Hey, if you don't wanna talk about-."

"I'm honestly trying to get our minds back on the mission, Summer." Raven said as she turned back around. "Banking on just reverse tracking, or even forcing one of them to tell us where their HQ is doesn't sit right with me."

"Morally?" Summer asked.

Raven shook her head. "No, but this sitting around for one idea to possibly work isn't the best we can do. Reports, sightings, anything we can get on her kind could help us get to The Relentless."

Summer pulled her scroll out, looking through a few articles she'd find here and there. "Most times where a battle is reported, it's almost always either Grimm, or a couple of times, the White Fang, but as soon as we pick up on anything, I can see why we'll need to jump on it."

"I'm thinking of contacting a few people about this… But I'm still not sure how to explain why I'd need the information. Too many questions can lead to Lazuria." Raven explained.

The blacksmith nodded. "I understand why you're worried, but the idea of going to others for this will help us. Maybe Ozpin? You know-."

Raven instantly interrupted. "No. He's too much of a wild card, and unless these Shifters have any relation to him, I don't see how he could help."

Summer had a pitied expression on her face, as she knew that Raven wasn't fond of how Ozpin handled things in the dark at times. "He was the one who gave you and Qrow your abilities, so maybe he does have a connection."

"Our abilities are the opposite in terms of what form we originally had, and with how he did it, well the way Lazuria explained her kind's way of transforming, I already know he has nothing to do with it." Raven countered. "Ozpin was always afraid of a certain someone's return, but they're gone, Summer. We have a lot more to worry about, and honestly, he's not who I'd go to for this."

The blacksmith thought more about the headmaster, how he did play his cards in the dark at times, but for good reason. "I get that you don't want to, so I won't ask him either." She didn't want to go behind Raven's back. "But if he can help in some way, I need you to toss your feelings aside and let him help. For Lazuria, and Snowflake."

Raven froze, thinking about how starting a relationship with Willow in the future would mean that Weiss would be someone she'd eventually grow closer to, and the thought of The Relentless ruining her life was something she didn't want happening.

"Fine, but only if he CAN help. Other than that, we still need to think of any body else that could know of these Shifters." Raven reminded.

Summer was thinking about everyone they knew, and who out of those people could help. "Other headmasters usually only focus on their schools, so Leo is out of the questions. Ironwood is more than just a headmaster too, so maybe him?"

"Maybe…" Raven's eyes widened when she remembered another person she may be able to talk to. "Glynda, she was on a team with Lazuria," Summer was taken aback. "She doesn't know that Lazuria is alive, but if she's ever seen anything on Shifter sightings, I'm sure she'd have her thoughts on it."

The blacksmith rubbed the back of her head. "Glyn? Huh, well I mean it'll be tough to get her not to talk with Ozpin about this, but yeah, she might be a good start on this."

"I'll talk to her tomorrow. Go and get some sleep. I'm taking the night watch." Raven picked up her blade and got up, and as she walked over to the main entrance, Summer let out a small smile.

" _You're a lot more caring than you let on, Raven."_

* * *

Back in Kuroyuri, Weiss was sitting in the airship again, petting Zwei as the corgi could tell just how conflicted she was feeling. Ruby was sitting next to her, while Team JNPR chose to wait outside, mostly as guard duty. "I wonder where Blake and Yang are."

Weiss stopped petting the corgi after her partner said that. "Oh… Yeah I noticed they weren't around. Where did they even go?"

"Yang got a little, uh, loud and angry. Blake just went to go check on her." Ruby explained.

The white haired teen sighed. "That oaf. Getting all angry… I'm guessing it's because of what happened down there." Weiss didn't really ask, as she frowned a little. "I hope I wasn't the cause of that."

"You weren't." Ruby wrapped an arm around her girlfriend. "Yang is just a lot more… Vocal about some stuff, but I know Blake's got this." She looked out one of the windows to see the moon. "When do you think your sister will be here?"

"I'm hoping soon." Weiss said while going back to petting Zwei.

A moment later, the door to the airship opened, and the two partners looked over to see Blake and Yang walking in. "There you are." Ruby smiled, seeing that her sister wasn't looking angry anymore. "You okay, sis?"

Yang rubbed the back of her head. "Yeah," She looked to Ruby with an apologetic expression. "Sorry for yelling back there. I was out of line, but, uh, hey, Weiss," The white haired teen waited on what Yang would say. "Um, about everything that's happened, don't be afraid to talk to me too. Okay?"

While she let her feelings for Weiss go, she still held the girl close to her heart, as a best friend she didn't want to lose, and hearing that made Weiss smile. "Of course. Thank you, Yang."

Blake's ears twitched under her bow, as she caught a look from Ruby. The cat Faunus didn't realize she was holding Yang's hand, until she saw where Ruby was looking. Once Blake looked down at their connected hands, her eyes widened, and Ruby herself almost gasped, but she held it back.

Ruby knew, and while Weiss was distracted with talking to Yang, Blake's eyes met with Ruby, and she blushed, as Ruby herself had a shocked look.

Weiss noticed that Ruby looked surprised by something, so she waved her hand in her face, and as she was looking away from Blake, the cat Faunus quickly let go of Yang's hand, causing the blonde to blush when she realized what happened.

"Um, Ruby, are you there?" Weiss asked while still waving her hand in her face.

The rose girl blinked a few times and shook her head. "Huh? Oh, uh, whoa, I think I'm getting a little tired. It's kinda super late." She played it off as such, since she could tell Blake wasn't trying to say anything about her and Yang.

Weiss looked out one of the windows, as she heard Zwei snoring a little. "Hmm, yeah, you're right. Some of us could get some sleep while we wait for Winter."

"I can take first watch." Yang offered.

"We should have a couple of people on watch actually." Ruby suggested, and she got up to offer taking watch as well. "Blake, you and Weiss get some rest, and if we see Winter's airship, we'll get you both."

The cat Faunus nodded, as she looked to Weiss. The white haired teen was focusing on petting Zwei, mostly to keep herself calm during the ordeal of events she's gone through, but she nodded to Ruby's suggestion.

As Ruby and Yang walked out, the team leader glanced at Blake, letting out a smile, and the cat Faunus blushed when she saw it.

* * *

It had been about thirty minutes since Ruby and Yang took the first watch, and Winter was looking down at the area they were approaching. "Ma'am, are you sure we should land around here? A lot of Grimm were sighted in this area, and the mission isn't calling for-."

"Don't question it. I have good reason to be down here, and if there's any trouble from Ironwood, I'll take full responsibility. Now please… Just land so I can speak with someone." Winter was hoping that her sister was okay.

The pilot said nothing else and found a good place to land the airship, as Winter took a breath. The Atlas Specialist thought about what she'd say to her little sister, especially since she needed to warn her about the use of her semblance while in her wolf form.

" _What am I going to say? She doesn't know anything about these Hidden, and if I tell her, her world will shatter."_

As they landed, Winter and her soldiers walked out of the airship. "I want you all here defending the airship. Do you understand?"

The soldiers saluted to her and nodded, though they were a little concerned she was going off by herself. Winter wasn't worried for herself, and started walking off, holding her saber out while sending a message to her sister, but before she could finish the message she heard a yell.

"Hey! Winter!" The Atlas Specialist gasped when she saw two familiar girls, Ruby and Yang.

* * *

 **I know some of you have said it's okay for these short chapters, but sometimes I feel really bad about them. I'm sorry. I really wanna get these chapters to be longer, but with how I update, I only go for getting the point of the chapter across in time for a post. This chapter's point was focusing back on STRQ, Showing Ruby knows about Blake and Yang, and Winter arriving.  
**

 **To JJ- Weiss is and will be afraid of The Relentless for who they are, but yeah, she's still going to live how she wants to, and as for Olivia, well, you'll see when Winter brings Weiss to her. As for Blake and Yang, I'm glad you enjoyed their little moments. It's fun to finally get to Bumbleby again.**

 **To the guest on chapter 110- Thank you. I'm just happy that I can still update frequently and you guys enjoy the stuff I post.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 111. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 112.**


	112. Not This Way

**Here's chapter 112, everyone.**

* * *

"You two…" Winter spotted the two sisters she knew well enough, and while she wasn't surprised seeing them, she did find it odd that they were the only ones to greet her, having expected her little sister to be with the two. "Of course you both would be involved in something so dangerous."

Yang playfully rolled her eyes when she walked up to the Atlas Specialist. "Don't lump just us together in that pit. We got friends who jumped in on this, and don't forget your little sister."

Ruby elbowed Yang. "Ignore her. We saw your airship landing and decided to run over to meet up with you." She said with a smile to the elder Schnee sister.

"I suppose my airship isn't one that is hard to miss…" Winter trailed off as she looked towards the direction where the sisters had come from. "Tell me exactly what you're all doing here in detail."

"Oh… Well," Ruby rubbed the back of her head, not wanting to tell her everything, since Weiss was meant to, so she kept it to what the original plan was. "Two of our friends used to live over in that village, so when they saw it was trampled by a bunch of Grimm-."

"There, that right there is why I don't see why any of you thought that would be a good idea." Winter's stern tone made Ruby yelp, and Yang rolled her eyes, something the Atlas Specialist didn't ignore. "If you have something to say, Miss-."

Yang took a step forward. "Ay, don't use that Miss stuff with me. We've known each other for years, Winter."

Winter wasn't going to pretend that was a lie, but she wanted to keep herself more composed than she was when Weiss spoke with her. "Even so, you've chosen to do something so childish, that I have no choice but to respond in this way. Now, enough making excuses. Why did you feel the need to risk your lives for something so trivial?"

"It wasn't trivial." Ruby said outright. "That village means a lot to our friends, and we weren't about to go in without a plan. All of us made sure to be safe."

"Being safe and ending up facing the unexpected are two very different things. None of you could prepare for a large group of Grimm, so before you complain about my words, do remember that you're all still first year students at Beacon, not Hunters." Winter's words hurt, but it wasn't to put them down, but to keep them from doing something they can't handle.

Yang sighed and crossed her arms. "Look, it was dumb, we get it… Honestly I kinda wish we didn't come here myself, but it happened, so can we move on so you can see Weiss?"

"My sister begged me to hurry, so yes, I would like to get going," As she walked with the two sisters, she thought back to Olivia.

" _The only way my sister will even let me take her back is if I tell her."_

While the Atlas Specialist already planned on telling her sister everything she's learned, how to tell her was plaguing her. She didn't know how to tell someone, especially her little sister, that she wasn't born a human.

" _Damn it, Mother. This all could have been avoided if you were just honest with us from the beginning!"_

Ruby noticed Winter was clenching her fist, making her feel a little guilty about what she thought was making her mad. "I'm sorry if we made you angry for coming here, Winter…"

"Hmm?" Winter continued to walk, but she glanced over her shoulder, seeing Ruby's discomfort, so she sighed and turned back to face forward. "Don't concern yourself, Ruby. I have my own reasons for being a bit… Upset, but don't think I won't speak to someone about this reckless venture you all chose to go on."

Yang spoke up almost instantly. "Whoa, whoa, come on, Winter. You don't need to rat us out for this. Seriously, we might-."

"Before you overreact, I highly doubt you'll be expelled for such recklessness, but the people I shall be speaking to about this is not who you think. It's your parents, and don't think I'll simply agree to not speak. You all need to learn not to endanger yourselves, even if it was for good reason." Winter chastised.

"You're really pulling the strict approach for this… Ugh, fine, but I still don't see why you'd need to say anything. We're all fine. No Grimm in sight." Yang stated.

Winter had her arms crossed behind her back as she continued walking. "Enough complaining. You're a huntress in training, so act like it. I'm in no mood to cater to your whining, Yang."

The blonde brawler tensed up from how stern she sounded, and chose to stay quiet.

" _What's gotten into her?"_

The Atlas Specialist wasn't trying to be rude to one she's known for a few years, but she couldn't waste time arguing with her either.

* * *

Weiss was keeping Myrtenaster on her lap as she sat inside the airship, while Zwei was laying next to her on one of the seats. Her weapon, the one she's cherished for years was something she never thought of letting go, but even then, with so many changes in her life, she wondered if Myrtenaster was next.

" _I'm not a Schnee by blood, I wasn't born a human… But this, this has always stayed the same. Ever since it was made. Can I really hope for it to be here still…"_

As she spoke to herself, she shook her head and got up, Myrtenaster in hand as she patted Zwei on the head a few times. "Stay here, boy. We'll be leaving soon."

The corgi lifted his head up and wagged his tail as he stayed laying on the seat, watching the white haired teen leave the airship.

The moment she did though, her body froze when she saw her older sister standing a bit away, arms crossed with a very disappointed look on her face. "W-Winter."

Team JNPR felt the awkwardness of the situation, so they chose to step inside the airship to give them privacy, while Yang walked over to Weiss. "She's a bit on the peeved side," She whispered. "But don't worry, we'll be right here with ya."

Winter tapped her boot against the dirt floor, as Ruby and Blake walked over to their teammates' sides. "I'm not happy seeing you out here, Weiss. Not one bit."

Weiss looked to the ground, ashamed of herself as Ruby took her hand to give her some support. It helped her a bit, as Weiss lifted her head back up. "I know, and I don't expect you to forgive us for coming out here."

The Atlas Specialist uncrossed her arms and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm not here to berate you all for this," She looked over her sister's teammates. "If you three could, I'd like to talk to my sister."

They took the hint, but Ruby didn't want to let go of Weiss' hand. "Hold on. Look, if there's someone to blame-."

"Ruby, this isn't about that. Now please," Winter made a hand motion towards their airship. "Get Klein for me and let us speak in private."

Weiss slowly let go of Ruby's hand, making the rose girl frown. "It's okay, Ruby… Honestly we do need to speak about some things alone." As she said that, Weiss turned her attention to Winter. "We can walk a bit away if you'd rather-."

"Yes that will do." Winter said, interrupting her little sister.

The younger Schnee sibling nodded. "Ruby, my sister did ask for Klein, so if you could, tell him we'll be over there," She pointed a bit away from the airship, showing where to send Klein.

Yang wanted to argue when she saw her little sister giving Weiss an okay, but as the rose girl walked over to the airship, she gave her older sister a pleading look. While she wasn't happy about it, she wasn't going to make a scene, choosing to follow Ruby, with Blake joining them.

Weiss breathed a sigh of relief, and as her sister began to walk in the direction they had agreed to speak towards, she wondered why Winter seemed to act a bit different than usual.

"How long have you been out here?" Winter questioned when they got far enough from the airship.

"O-Oh, um, a few hours. Most of the time we spent on fixing up the town as much as we could." Weiss explained, continuing a moment later. "We didn't want to leave it just as it was."

Winter wasn't one to really understand why anyone would really spend the time fixing up a town that had been abandoned. "Do not take this the wrong way, but thinking about it, I just would rather you not take risks for such trivial endeavors."

Weiss didn't want to speak out against her sister, but she also knew how important the town meant to Ren and Nora. "Just don't say that to them. It's not like everyone shares the same views."

"I'm not a child, little sister, but being smart over doing something morally right won't always be a choice so easy to make. Your life is not to be played with." Winter sternly noted.

"What is this really about, Winter? You don't usually speak like this…" Weiss remarked, and Winter cursed herself for making it obvious.

"I'm not sure what you mean, Weiss. You're here in a dangerous-."

"I know where I'm at. I made a choice to come out here, and I get you're upset… I do." Weiss said with a nervous expression clearly on her face. "But why are you talking to me like how you'd talk to Father?"

Winter's eyes lit up, realizing she was sounding a lot more disdained than she should with her younger sister. "Do you really feel that way?"

"Only this one time…" Weiss admitted, and she sighed, shaking her head. "Winter, I have a lot I need to say, but if you're upset this much with me for coming here… Then maybe it's best we talk about it another time."

"No. I'm not about to stand here and let you make another big mistake like this one." Winter said a bit louder than she needed to, partially startling her little sister. "You need to understand that you're-."

"Miss Winter." Klein's voice caught the sisters' attention, as they glanced over at the man, seeing that he wasn't looking overly joyed as he usually was, seeing as he knew they were arguing. "Whatever is going on here, I don't want it to continue. You both know what negative emotions can do."

Winter was a little surprised he knew that about Grimm, since she knew that was what he was implying. "Maybe so, but this area was already marked as overrun, so to be here in the first place-."

"Enough with that!" Weiss yelled, making Klein grow tense, while Winter was unphased. "Winter, there's a lot more than Grimm out here… Okay… And yes, I know what we did was stupid, but it's done. I can't change what happened…"

The Atlas Specialist had wondered what her sister meant, so she pushed on. "What do you mean by more than Grimm? Is there something you aren't telling me?"

Klein bit his lip, while Weiss looked down at her feet. "Winter… What can I tell you that would make you not look at me as your sister… Just tell me."

"Excuse me?" Winter was taken aback, and Weiss wanted to just slap herself for even trying to tell her sister about what she's learned in such a way.

"I-I, ugh, forget what I said… Winter, you know about my semb… How I can turn into a wolf." Weiss started, and Winter tensed up. "It's not what I thought it was… Not a semblance, but-."

"Stop," Winter couldn't believe how she was saying exactly what she was going to tell her. "Klein, explain what happened here. Right now!"

Weiss gasped, while Klein was startled, confused by why Winter suddenly grew so angry. "D-Don't yell at Klein like that! Winter, I was going to tell you-."

"I want to know what you meant by more than Grimm." Winter was beginning to feel her heart racing.

"W-What… I mean," Weiss took a breath. "Winter, we met people down there," She had flashes of Nel and Torn in her mind, as she shook her head, remembering what her partner told her. "They can do what I can do, and change into animals, so… I learned that-."

Winter stopped her with a hug, surprising Weiss, so she slowly wrapped her arms around her older sister.

"Winter?" Weiss could feel her sister shaking a bit. "Winter, what's wrong?"

The elder Schnee sibling pulled away, clenching her fist as she looked to Klein and walked up to him. "How did she end up learning? How could you let her find out in such a way? From some random people who flood her mind with something she doesn't need to know!"

Klein realized that Winter already knew, yet he had no idea how she even could, while Weiss was frozen in shock. "Miss Winter… How did you know?"

Winter glanced at her little sister, who was shaking a little, since she felt that her sister betrayed her trust as well, by not telling her of her past. "How? Because Mother told me hours ago…" Winter walked up to Weiss and knelt down, looking into her eyes. "You weren't supposed to find out like this… I should've called you the moment Mother told me." She pulled her into another hug, rubbing the back of her head as she heard Weiss gasp. "I'm so sorry, Weiss."

"W-What's happening? W-Winter why did Mother tell you?" Weiss needed to know.

"Because I forced her to." Winter started to explain. "I learned about, the people, people like you, who become animals," She took a breath. "Or as the person told me, animals that become human."

Klein spoke up. "Please forgive your Mother. She had to keep this from you girls, from everyone."

"I'm not done, Klein, and Mother will explain everything, and I mean everything, the next time I see her." Winter said as she looked over her shoulder, anger in her eyes when she spoke to the butler, though she wasn't completely angry with him.

"If you know, then… You know I'm not really-." Weiss tried to speak, but Winter pulled away and slapped the top of her head, making her yelp as she moved both hands to cover the spot on her head.

"Don't even think about saying what I think you're going to say." Winter said in a stern tone. "Just because we've learned of yet another lie our Mother kept from us, doesn't mean you aren't the same as you have been."

Weiss didn't need to be told again, so she sniffled and nodded, lowering her hands. "I still don't understand how you found another person like," She looked over at Kuroyuri in the distance. "Like the people I met."

"I was on a mission to investigate strange sightings of, to put it simply, larger than normal animals." Winter explained. "Instead of finding what I thought could have been Grimm, I met a bear, a woman, and she told me everything about… Hidden."

That was all she needed to hear, and Weiss hugged herself while looking away. "I guess… I guess we both learned around the same time... "

Winter placed her hand on Weiss' shoulder. "This wasn't something I expected to ever learn… It felt like I was being told a story, and yet it's not… The woman I met, she wants to speak to you, but I understand if you'd rather get back to Beacon."

Weiss' eyes widened, and the thought of speaking with yet another person that knows about her heritage. "W-What's her name?"

"Olivia, and… There's more. Weiss, I need you to promise me to not use your semblance, I mean, your glyphs while you're in-."

"My animal form," Weiss finished for her sister, and Winter bit her lip. "Something else we both learned. I," Weiss rubbed her arm, showing a hint of fear. "I know about a group of people who hunt the kind of people I relate to."

Winter was angry, angry that anyone would be a threat to her little sister in such a direct way. "Yes, I was informed of them as well, so please," She didn't need to say more.

"I won't. I swear." Weiss walked up, leaning her head on Winter's chest, as she wanted her sister's comfort, showing that she was truly afraid of The Relentless, and Winter wrapped her arms around her little sister for the third time that night, looking to Klein.

The butler knew of The Relentless as well, seeing as Willow had to tell him everything of Lazuria. Klein was mentally keeping a note to himself, to talk to Willow, to tell her that he believes it was time to tell the Schnee sisters everything.

* * *

 **It's been a while since I posted, and I do want to apologize for up and disappearing without a notice. Honestly, it's because of two things, one Destiny 2 Forsaken came out and I wanted to play that, and two I really needed a break. Not just from the frequent posting, but from RWBY as a whole. It's just not a source of inspiration anymore.**

 **I hate to complain about it, but that's just how I feel. With V6 right around the corner, I'm just not looking forward to it. So I'll say this now to be fair to you all. If the volume just overall depresses the hell out of me, I won't be updating as frequent, and I may end up not wanting to work on RWBY fics. Maybe I can work on something like MHA, which at the moment, is my favorite show. Sorry for this kind of A/N.**

 **To JJ- I took a bit longer than a week... I'm sorry, but yeah as I said above, I honestly did need a break from things. It did feel good to not worry about posting, but I am back now, so I'll still do my best to post with the quality I prefer, rather than force myself to pump out chapters.**

 **To Obsessive Reader- Sorry for not letting you all know about the break I was taking. It was just something that happened, but I'm back now, and I'm doing better for it.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 112. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 113.**


	113. This Feeling

**Here's chapter 113, everyone.**

* * *

"Weiss, it's your choice if you wish to talk to her. I won't force you to speak to her if you don't feel comfortable about it." Winter said in reference to speaking with Olivia, who was still waiting in the airship that Winter came in on.

"It's not like I can stop myself from learning more about myself, Winter… I'd rather just continue learning now, than finding out through other means later." Weiss remarked, and Winter knew it herself.

"Very well. Klein, I expect you to keep the others situated for the time being. And no, I do not want any of them coming over to my airship." Winter said to the butler, who had his arms behind his back, as he respectfully nodded.

Weiss stopped him before he could leave, taking his arm as she turned him back around to hug her father figure. "I don't blame you, Klein." In that moment, Klein was left speechless, as Weiss simply let out a small smile. "You made a promise to our Mother, and with how… He gets with Mother, I can't say I blame you for wanting to keep her trust in you."

That was when Klein felt he could talk, as he embraced the girl who he looked at as a daughter. "I always wanted to tell you…"

Winter tapped her boot against the ground, fed up with everyone's excuses, but she kept her comments to herself, since she always held Klein in high regards. As Weiss pulled away, she folded her hands together and nodded to Klein, who nodded back, both not having to say a word to understand what the other wanted to say.

Once Klein walked back to the airship that he brought the teams in on, Weiss walked back up to her sister. "I'm ready to meet this Olivia."

The Atlas Specialist continued to watch Klein leave, but something made her want to speak up. "I can't say I'm happy with Klein, but I can at least understand why you aren't upset with him yourself."

"He's never hurt me. Not once." Weiss stated.

"I know…" Winter closed her eyes for a moment, thinking of the good times that Klein had taken part in, and she swore that she would never hate the man, even if he did hide the truth. "Let's be on our way."

Weiss followed her sister, taking quick glances in the direction of Kuroyuri, and even when she did, she knew she wasn't about to see the Hidden that were still there.

" _I can't do anything with them."_

The thought alone made Weiss refocus on who she was about to speak to. "Do you have any questions before we get there? I'll try to-."

"I can't really think of any to ask you, Winter. I'll ask this Olivia what I can." Weiss remarked, and Winter hated that she couldn't help her sister more than she could.

"You don't need to feel pressured. Once she gets to ask her questions, I'll be taking you back to Beacon… I know Klein can, but I want to know you're okay." Winter said, and she could hear her sister stopped following at that point, so she glanced over her shoulder, seeing Weiss' surprised expression.

"What do you mean? I can go on the airship with the others. Ruby will be-."

"She'll be fine, and I expect the others to not complain or argue with me on this. You are my younger sister, and my airship is better suited to take you back." Winter explained, as Weiss bit her lip.

The younger of the Schnee siblings looked back at where the others were. "You can't just start treating me like I'm helpless… Just because I've learned about those people."

"You aren't helpless, Weiss." Winter spun around, giving her sister a stern look. "This isn't about that," She clenched her fists. "Father has always been a thorn in our side, treating us like dirt, and I know you're smart enough to know this by now."

Weiss lowered her head, frowning as she looked towards the ground, since her sister was being very blunt with her.

"Even our own brother has been influenced by him, and he doesn't even try to speak with us…"

It was painful to hear.

"And now Mother is keeping secrets from us, too many secrets. I'm not letting you go through life without at least one member of our family that will always be here for you… Even though I know you can go through life without me, I'm still going to be here." Winter stated, not caring if she seemed to be letting her emotions out more than she had in the past.

Weiss was taken aback by her reasons, and she lifted her head up, seeing that her sister still has her stern expression. "Winter…" The younger Schnee walked up to her big sister, shaking her head in defiance of her words. "Mother made mistakes, there's no denying that… But she loves us… I know Fath… He doesn't, and I know Whitley has his issues, but you know as well as I do, that Mother loves us."

Her little sister was growing up almost faster than she was in certain regards, and while she wanted to counter what Weiss said, Winter knew that was impossible. "Aren't you even a bit upset with-."

"Of course I am." Weiss said, cutting her off mid sentence. "I had to learn that I wasn't even born human from two strangers, Winter." The younger Schnee sibling wasn't going to stay quiet. "I could've accepted this years ago, so yes, I would've rather mom tell us about this all when we were younger, but that's in the past… And I don't want to hate her for it, and I don't want you hating her for it either."

The Atlas Specialist kept her composure, knowing there wasn't much that could be done about the past, so she looked back towards her airship. "You're much stronger than I in forgiveness, little sister, so I'll… Try to talk to Mother about this more calmly next time."

Weiss nodded, accepting that much as she followed her older sister back to her airship.

* * *

"I still don't like this, Yang." Ruby complained while Zwei was on her lap. "I get she's her sister-."

"Trust me, sis, I'm not happy about it either, but they're just talking. We can wait a little longer." Yang said, having calmed down a bit more after her 'talk' with Blake, who was sitting next to her in the airship.

Ruby sighed. "Yeah I know."

Jaune was still feeling a bit bad about making Yang angry earlier, so he piped up. "Um, hey, you know I didn't mean anything by it earlier. It's just-."

"Don't worry about it, Jaune. I overreacted." Yang rubbed her knees a few times. "I don't really like losing my cool so easily, but it happens way more than it should, and I'm sorry for yelling at you the way I did."

Blake's ears twitched under her bow, as she smiled, proud of her partner for owning up to her mistake, while Jaune chuckled nervously. "Wow, I was coming up with this whole apology speech so you wouldn't burn my pants off."

Yang chuckled back, and the two blondes sighed. "You ain't gotta worry about that, Vomit Boy." The nickname made him groan. "Besides, if I did that, I'm pretty sure I'd be getting a beating from your partner." She winked at Pyrrha, who blushed a bit in return.

"W-What? Hey, I can take care of myself in a fight. Should I remind you of our sparring match?" Jaune got a bit defensive.

The blonde brawler gave him a deadpan look. "Your shield was pissing me off."

Ruby watched as the two began to bicker about the match they had, while she slowly pet the corgi in her lap. What was truly on her mind though, was having Weiss back in the airship so they could all go home.

" _I still can't believe Winter is here. I know she won't cause any problems, but still. Weiss is… We all need to go home."_

The leader of Team RWBY looked somber, as Zwei nuzzled into her lap, so she let out a small smile, finding a glimmer of hope that things would be okay for her girlfriend, even after the revelation of her birth and who she is was learned.

* * *

"I forgot how big this airship was." Weiss said while looking up at the Atlesian airship. "And you say she just wants to talk?"

"Yes, so don't feel pressured into answering questions you aren't comfortable with." Winter reminded, and as she opened the door to the airship, the Atlas soldiers she brought with her stood up and saluted to Winter.

"Ma'am, we were wondering when you'd return. The, um, woman you found is still in-."

Winter raised her hand to stop him from speaking. "I have important matters to attend to right now. No updates are necessary at the moment."

The Atlas soldiers noticed her little sister, and seeing as the Schnee Family was highly regarded in Atlas, they knew exactly who she was. "Young Miss Schnee-."

"All of you, at ease. My sister is here on my request, and has nothing to do with the mission at hand. For the time being, you will all treat her with the same respect as you do I, and if you wish to even speak to her, you speak to me first." Winter was being way too defensive for Weiss' taste.

Weiss was blushing lightly, as she groaned while trying to whisper to her sister. "You're embarrassing me… I don't need you guarding me from your soldiers."

Winter said nothing as she led Weiss to the part of the airship that Olivia was staying in. "People can be very nosey, Weiss. I'm just making sure they won't bother you."

"I can handle talking to people, Winter. I'm not a helpless…" She stopped herself from saying animal, even closing her eyes for a single moment as she saw a white wolf in her vision, making her gasp as she stopped walking, and Winter turned to see her little sister looking at the floor of the airship.

"Weiss?" Winter knelt down and placed her hand on her sister's shoulder, trying to make eye contact with her. "Weiss, what's wrong?"

Weiss refused to open her eyes, though it was more like she couldn't, as the darkness that clouded her vision from her closed eyes was, calm. It was odd to feel, but yes, she felt calm in that time, as the wolf she could see in the darkness was sitting down.

It felt so real to her, like everything around her wasn't moving, and even with her sister worried and trying to nudge her to open her eyes, she still didn't. Weiss simply focused on the wolf in her vision, as she even looked down at where she thought she'd see her hands, but they were white wolf paws.

The younger Schnee sibling gasped as she opened her eyes, seeing her human hands again, as Winter was hugging her, trying to calm her down, since she could feel her heart rate increasing. "W-Winter?"

"Try to relax, you were having a panic attack." Winter wasn't trying to show how worried she was, wanting to be strong for her sister.

" _A panic attack? No… No that wasn't a panic attack. It felt so calm."_

Weiss blinked a few times, feeling her heart rate returning to normal, as she pulled away from her sister. Winter watched her little sister examining her own hands, and she took a breath. "R-Right, sorry… I guess I'm not completely over it."

"This isn't something to rush through." Winter tried comforting. "I want you to take a moment to relax before you speak to this woman. Come sit." She helped her sister over to one of the side rooms, a place where the soldiers could rest when needed, and she led her sister onto one of the beds.

"I'm fine, Winter." Weiss tried to assure, but her sister shook her head.

"You had a panic attack, Weiss. I'm not ready for you to talk to her at this moment just after you had one from… From the news you learned. Please just take a few moments to rest, for me?" Winter pleaded, and Weiss sighed a bit.

The younger Schnee pulled her knees up to her chest and nodded, choosing to stay on the bed as she closed her eyes again.

" _It wasn't a panic attack. It was calm."_

Winter gently stroked her sister's hair, hoping that she wouldn't suffer another 'panic attack', though unbeknownst to her at the moment, Weiss was trying to focus on what she saw earlier.

As her eyelids were shut, Weiss could see darkness again, but a white mist appeared and began to form. A few moments later, she could see the white wolf again when the mist formed into it. She tried to smile, but on the outside, her face remained as it was, calm.

In her vision however, she looked down at herself again, seeing that she was somehow in her wolf form, but it didn't bother her. It made her, happy, and it made her calm.

" _This feeling…"_

* * *

 **I am so very sorry for taking so long with this, but… I needed time, a break, something to help me feel better. I hope you can all forgive me for taking so long on this, and while I wish I can promise to update faster, I don't want to make an empty promise. I will do my best, and I hope this story is still something you all enjoy.**

 **To JJ- You've been very supportive of the updates I've put out, and I very much appreciate that. Thank you for sticking with these stories, even with how long it takes me to update now. As for Winter, she is showing her protective nature, but Weiss is trying to show her that she can take care of herself too. It's all about growing.**

 **To the guest on chapter 112- I still do plan on finishing Memories, it's just taking much longer than I wanted, and yes, this is a passion project. It does make me happy to write, but at the same time it tends to get hard.**

 **To Obsessive Reader- Thanks for the words, as I do wanna try to keep writing, and I'll try to for as long as it makes me happy. I like the amount of work I try putting in, and to see that people enjoy it makes me happy.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 113. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 114.**


	114. Acceptance

**So I did this a few times in Snow Fox where I would recommend a story every now and then, so hey, why not keep that going again. Anyways, little shout out to Miss Kansas, as she read a bunch of the early chapters before they were posted.**

 **You guys should check out her story- White Light.**

 **Here's chapter 114, everyone.**

* * *

"Ruby, you know we can't-."

"I'm just getting some fresh air, Yang. I won't cause any trouble." Ruby knew her sister was about to try and stop her from going to Winter's airship. "Besides, we really should have people outside just in case any Grimm might show up."

Yang figured that made sense, but she was still a bit suspicious. "Then would you mind me tagging along?"

Ruby sighed, since arguing would only cause Yang to question her more. "Fine."

Zwei was sitting next to Blake, who was fidgeting a bit, since she almost jumped at the chance to go with them, but she had a feeling that Yang was trying to talk to her sister alone, so she whispered to the corgi. "Don't lick me…" The corgi whimpered at that, and Blake groaned, so she patted his little head.

Yang caught that little moment and she chuckled lightly, as she followed her little sister out of the airship. Once they closed the door to it, the blonde watched her sister looking towards the town. "So, when we going to Winter's airship?"

Ruby was taken aback, turning around to give her sister a confused look. "What?"

"You and I both know you were planning to go, even if you were trying to be strong for Ice Wolf. You don't gotta shoulder this yourself." Yang remarked.

The rose girl sighed and looked away. "How did you manage to figure that out?"

"I'm your big sister, Ruby. Gotta be able to tell when you're really not feeling, well, yourself. And… I had a little help from Blake, since I was a bit peeved thinking you were just smiling, but she helped me figure that you're being strong for your little girlfriend." Yang said, chuckling a bit.

In response, Ruby looked towards Winter's airship. "I just think that maybe it is better for us to get back to Beacon a lot sooner. If everything we learned is one hundred percent true, we can't take any more risks around here."

"Trust me, I get that. Beacon will be safe, and hopefully those people won't be around for long." Yang remarked as she and her sister began making their way to Winter's airship.

"That's what gets me too. An entire group is dedicated to… Killing people, people who are different. How could they even think that what they do is right?" Ruby said as she had clenched her fists.

Yang shook her head. "Ruby, there's a lot of horrible people in the world… People we can never change, no matter how hard we try. You're not a little kid anymore, you're a student at Beacon, so I hope you get what I'm saying."

"You don't think I do?" Ruby wasn't looking at her sister as they spoke, as the image of The Relentless member entered her mind. "But this isn't just something I want to ignore and hope they'll go away. People are being hunted…"

The fear in her sister's voice for innocent people was heartbreaking. "Ruby, just like the White Fang, we can't just try to fight them all, there'd be no way."

Ruby stomped her boot on the ground in anger as they continued walking, startling her older sister. "Weiss' birth mother is still being hunted, she can't live a second of her life without fear! That's not right!"

Yang stayed silent for a moment, looking up at the night sky as she was starting to feel tired from the whole day's mishaps, and while she wanted to say something in response, she couldn't even think of the right thing to say.

"I… I don't want to get involved so Weiss won't ever run into them, but… I want her to meet the woman who gave birth to her." Ruby bit her lip, feeling her heart racing with her emotions running on high.

"Hey," Yang reached over and stopped her sister, pulling her close to embrace her. "Take a second, sis… You've been bottling things up, and take it from your dumb older sister, it's not good to do."

Ruby buried her face into Yang's chest, muffling the next few words. "You're not dumb."

Yang let out a light chuckle. "Heh, yeah I know, but I can be at times, and I know how tough it is to hold back." She rubbed the back of her sister's head. "Y'know… I realized you and I have been trading anger today."

"Huh?" Ruby gently pulled away and looked up at her older sister.

"Well, being all mad about things, mostly about what Weiss is going through. We've been on both sides of anger, with the other trying to be calm. Maybe it's time we both try staying calm for our Ice Wolf." Yang said with a comforting smile.

Ruby remembered back in Kuroyuri that Yang was the one who had to calm her down after their first confrontation with Nel. "Oh… Right."

"Hey, it's fine, we all get angry, and honestly, I think it was better that you were a bit defensive back there." Yang patted her sister's shoulder, thinking back to what Blake and her talked about. "Ruby, did I… Did I ever tell you I had a crush on Weissy?"

Ruby's eyes widened. "What? You had-."

"A crush, yes. It's obviously not a crush anymore, cause I ain't about to steal your Ice Wolf from you sis." Yang stuck her tongue out, while Ruby blushed in shame at even thinking her sister would do that. "Anyways, yeah I liked her… For a few years, but I saw you two were happy, and seeing just how passionate you get about this whole mess, yeah, you really are the best person in the whole world for her."

"Yang," Ruby let out a small smile, but then she slapped her sister's arm, making the blonde cry out in slight pain.

"Ow! Ruby what the hell?!" Yang rubbed her arm.

Ruby crossed her arms and gave a disappointed look. "I can't believe you never told me. Did you not think I'd be able to handle that, Yang?"

"H-Huh?" Yang then realized what she meant. "Oh, that, well I just told you, I'm not about to take your Ice Wolf away."

"I'm talking about the liking her for years. Why didn't-."

"Because you love her, ya dummy. I could tell watching you two growing up." Yang raised her arm, and Ruby flinched, thinking she would hit her back, but the older sister gently placed her palm on Ruby's head. "I didn't want to get in between you two."

Ruby blushed and thought about her girlfriend, and how lucky she was that Yang was always looking out for them.

* * *

Weiss was ready, so she got up from the bed Winter let her rest on and the Atlas Specialist got up from her chair. "I think I've had enough rest. Is there anything you know that she might ask me?"

"Possibly just what animal you can turn into-."

"Winter, it's the other way around." Winter was taken aback by Weiss' words, as it seemed that her little sister was accepting her true form was her being a wolf.

"Weiss, you don't need to say that. Just because of the technicalities of your birth have come to light, doesn't mean you haven't lived as a human more so than a wolf." Winter tried to get her sister to go back on what she said, as she didn't want Weiss to look down on herself.

"Being able to transform is the ability I was born with, Winter. I understand it a bit more now, but… It's true that in the end, I'm a wolf that can be human," She gently closed her eyes for a moment, seeing the wolf in her head, and she reopened her eyes. "And I don't mind that."

In such little time, Winter noticed how calm her sister was about the whole situation. "What happened?"

Weiss looked down at her hands as she held them out in front of her, turning them a few times as she took a breath. "I remembered this one time I was trying to better control my ability to transform back into a human, and… I said to myself that I wanted to be who I am, and I just stayed as a wolf when I tried to transform… I think I get it now."

Winter walked over, having a worried expression on her face as she held her sister's shoulders "Weiss, what you're saying doesn't have to change who you've been."

"I'm not trying to change who I've been, I'm accepting who I am, Winter. I close my eyes and I see myself. As a wolf, that's what I gasped about earlier. It wasn't a panic attack." She pulled away from Winter, taking a deep breath. "I'm a wolf that can become a human, but I like to be human more… I'm happy knowing who I really am now, Winter." Weiss let out a sincere smile, as Winter held a hand against her chest, feeling that her sister was bottling her emotions up.

"You shouldn't have to accept such drastic changes like this." In the end, Winter always looked out for her sister, and to see her saying these things, even if she was saying she was happy hurt her.

"Why are you upset about this?" Weiss inquired, seeing as she herself was actually learning to accept heritage.

The Atlas Specialist huffed. "You're only seventeen, and while I know you're very strong, you're also my little sister. Seeing you having to come to terms with this, not being a Schnee by blood, being born a wolf, it's-."

"My burden to bear." Weiss cut her off, and Winter's heart skipped a beat, as Weiss stepped closer and looked up at her big sister. "I know why Mom kept this all from me, from us, and I have to start moving past that… I have to, Winter."

"You don't have to bear this burden alone." Winter softly stated, and Weiss nodded.

"I know… Trust me, Ruby has showed me I don't need to be alone in this, and I know you want to help me too, but you have your own life to live too. I can't drag you down with my personal problems." Weiss tried reasoning.

Winter gave her a stern look, not trying to make any physical reactions as she sighed. "You've never once brought me down, and you never will, so stop trying to push me away. I'm still your big sister first, no matter what."

Weiss felt a warmth in her chest, as she didn't realize how much pain her sister would be in if she tried to push her away, so she lowered her head, speaking quietly. "I'm sorry,"

"You don't have to be. You just… You have to help me understand. Why this? Why try to call yourself a wolf over a human?" Winter needed to know.

The younger Schnee sibling took a moment to think about her answer, and as she recounted the night, she knew what to say. "Meeting people like me, learning about the people who hunt the people like me, and… Learning who I am, it's all wrong of me to ignore. All of them, the people like me, they live in secret, and I have to as well."

"Then why try to accept being a wolf over a human? It's better to-."

"Please let me finish," Weiss begged, and Winter sighed, staying silent. "The people who hunt down, I guess, the Hidden. They're the reason I was given up by my birth Mother," The news wasn't too much of a surprise, as Winter pieced that together. "Whoever she was, I know she wasn't a bad person, and I know she wanted me in her life… So I can accept she loved me and was going to raise me…"

Winter continued to stay quiet, feeling her heart breaking at how her sister spoke.

"Things changed, and I can't go back to redo anything. I'm okay, Winter. I'm okay." Weiss assured, as she truly came to terms with her birth.

The Atlas Specialist looked down at her sister, seeing her lowered expression, so Winter placed her hand on the back of Weiss' head and pulled her close, letting her rest on her shoulder. "Thank you for helping me understand." She spoke softly.

Weiss nodded and sniffled. "We should go and talk to that woman you mentioned. After, I think I'd like to talk to Ruby."

Winter rubbed her sister's head a few times, pulling away after as she started leading her to Olivia.

* * *

Olivia herself sighed, wishing she was with her husband. Not a moment later, the door to where she was held opened and Winter walked in, catching her attention. "You're back," She then noticed a shorter girl, also with white hair walking in after. "Oh, this is your sister?"

"Yes, Olivia, this is Weiss," Winter looked down at her sister. "Weiss, this is Olivia." She cleared her throat and turned her attention back on Olivia. "You don't have to try and hide anything either," She sighed. "It seems that others my sister has met informed her of her heritage."

Hearing that made Olivia gasp, as she hoped of the people she met was her husband. "Wait, who did you meet?" She looked to Weiss.

Weiss could hear how desperate the woman sounded, confusing her a bit. "Um, well there was a man and a woman, the woman could become a wolverine, and the man was a bird the whole time."

Olivia's eyes widened. "What were their names? Please tell me."

"The woman is named Nel, and the, um, well, I guess bird is named Torn." Weiss answered. "Why? Are they people you know?"

"Oh my goodness…" Olivia took a breath. "My husband knows a Torn. He's spoken about him… Please, do you know where they are? Maybe he knows where my husband is."

Weiss frowned. "I don't think they're still in the same place at this point. I'm sorry."

Winter spoke up. "These aren't the questions you wanted to ask her, Olivia, seeing as you didn't even know she knew of her heritage at the time of your request."

"I-I just wanted to know," Olivia was held her breath, thinking of her husband. "The group he worked with, I know of at least Torn."

"He and Nel were in Kuroyuri, trying to get the jump on a Relentless member, until my friends and I showed up," Weiss frowned at the thought. "That Relentless member showed up and we all fought her off and managed to knock her out, so those two are taking her away at this point."

Olivia had a defeated expression on her face. "Then… They won't be there."

"I'm sorry." Weiss repeated, feeling bad for the woman.

Winter walked over, sighing as she placed her hand on Olivia's shoulder. "I'll still keep my word and continue to search for him."

"Thank you," Olivia said in a soft tone, sniffling a bit as she looked to Weiss. "So young," She let out a small smile at the girl. "It's rare to meet someone new of our kind."

Weiss didn't share the same sense of awe. "Not to me, sadly."

"It's not your fault. I've been a bit informed through your sister that you weren't even told, and from what she's told me, you can become a wolf." Olivia talked to Weiss in a much happier tone than she's been in, seeing as she was just overjoyed to meet a new Hidden.

"I-I, well, yes, but I'm more accepting of being a wolf that can become human." Weiss reiterated, and Winter wasn't going to object that time. "My sister told me she met you on a mission, and that you were a bear."

Olivia found Weiss' acceptance of being Hidden a nice treat. "I am a bear, yes, and I'm happy to hear you accept your heritage, young cub."

Weiss blushed a bit at being called cub again. "Um, just Weiss is fine actually. I'm not exactly fully comfortable with that… I connect more to being human in all honesty."

"Ah, well I can't blame you. You lived your whole life not knowing of your heritage. If I may, how much have you learned?" Olivia inquired.

Weiss walked over, taking a seat on the bed when Olivia scooted over a bit. "A few things," She sighed a bit and rubbed her knees. "I'm able to have a semblance like everyone else, and I can still have my heightened senses when I'm not a wolf."

Winter stayed silent, allowing Olivia to speak with her sister about her heritage, as it was a moment where Weiss could truly learn more of who she was, and who she could be.

* * *

 **Weiss is able to accept her birth, but yes, she still understands that she's human in heart as well. As for Winter, I like to show that she doesn't like that her sister has to go through this whole ordeal, while also doing my best to have her keep her composure.**

 **To JJ- So with this chapter, you can see your question was answered in how Weiss is slowly accepting her heritage, to the point where she knows she can't ignore what she was born as, and instead chooses to embrace it. Also think of Olivia as a bit of a teacher to her, giving her a bit more knowledge on her people.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 114. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 115.**


	115. You Wanted Me Here

**Here's chapter 115, everyone.**

* * *

Looking up at the moon, Raven could only breathe out a sigh, with her blade sheathed and her body unmoving. She had a lot on her mind, and she wasn't allowing herself a second without being on guard.

Where else would she go was the question in her mind, even with her team able to easily handle themselves, she didn't have to keep watch in the end.

Excuses.

It was the word she came up with, trying her best to keep her body from moving away from the warehouse. "No one is awake at this point."

The moon continued to shine down on her, as she thought about what the next day would be like for her, mostly due to the night she had with Willow. In truth, Raven hated everything about the choices she'd made in the recent months, but not because she regretted them.

Imagining Lazuria, in the cabin she had taken Willow to. The day her brother had her there, she wished there wasn't a mission to handle, or a secret to hold. It was starting to get tiresome, as she herself felt wrong lying to Willow.

" _Can't say I helped with that. We all made our choices, and I only enforced the idea of her not knowing."_

It was the only regret she had in her mind, as it only just began to eat at her, the pain of lying to someone she cared about. Again. With a flash of yellow, she thought of her own daughter, and the kind of drama and stress she caused for her at a young age.

Willow was another person she was running the risk of hurting. More so in the case of someone else's family being hurt because she was too stubborn. Raven grit her teeth, but then reminded herself of the dangers that could befall the Schnee woman.

" _She's not ready. I can't take that risk, even if it means she'd hate-."_

Raven gasped and raised her hand up to her chest, not wanting to continue the thought. It pissed her off. She wasn't the kind of person to let her emotions run wild in such a way. Even her own brother always remarked on her rather harsh actions, but they always hid the woman underneath it all.

There was no fragile woman underneath, there was no weeping victim, there was always the same Raven, but with emotion to back it up. And for some reason, she didn't feel it was necessary to show her emotions like the rest of her team easily did.

Qrow himself had more moments of weakness than his older sister, and while she hated to admit it, she cursed herself with how she didn't want to show weakness.

That was one of the few things she believed in, the strong surviving, and the weak thriving. But even the strongest person in the whole world needed a moment of weakness, and to Raven, that was her moment, taking in the fact that she could risk someone she cared about ending up leaving her.

Again.

* * *

Willow tossed and turned in her sleep, not wanting to think of her husband, but even with all the blocking she was doing, it was impossible to not. She clearly didn't choose to sleep in her own room, avoiding Jacques at all cost, but sleeping wasn't much of an option.

Rolling out of bed, Willow planted her feet down and sighed in her nightgown, choosing to get up and put her slippers on. Once she stepped foot out of the guest room she was staying in, she noticed the night sky with the moonlight casting down.

" _One of the few solaces of being unable to sleep I suppose."_

She wished Klein was there with her, but he had requested time off so there was no relying on him for support that night. Willow simply chose to walk down the halls of the manor, finding hope in distracting her mind of the confrontation she had with Jacques.

While she was somewhat able to do that, another thought came to mind, how she had confirmed Weiss' heritage to her eldest daughter. Stopping that moment, Willow turned to face one of the window, placing her hands down on the window sill as she took a heavy breath, wishing that her life could slow down.

It wasn't a burden to her, as she only blamed herself for taking so long on dealing with both Jacques and telling the truth. "Why couldn't I have a backbone years ago."

Raven came to mind when she said that to herself. Understanding her more helped Willow grow as a person, and while she doesn't share the same views on everything as Raven, she did have things in common with the huntress, like having a drive.

"Ma'am?" Willow was startled by the sudden voice, seeing that it was one of the guards that would patrol the halls, seeing as Jacques was all about covering his own life over the ones who worked his mines. "It's dangerous to walk the halls this la-."

"Please excuse me, I was simply in the mood for a walk." Willow was just trying to put on an act. "You do not need to worry, or inform my husband. Waking him up at this dreadful hour would be quite dreadful to both him and yourself after all."

The guard was actually thinking of informing Jacques of his wife wandering the halls, but the thought of his boss waking up in an angry tirade made him gulp. "R-Right, well I can escort you back if you'd like, Ma'am. You never know of the dangers-."

"I humbly request for you to continue your patrols. I have no need for any protection in my own home." Willow stated, and the guard remained a bit hesitant, so she sighed and held her hand out, projecting a glyph and earning a gasp from the guard. "As you can see, I am perfectly capable of protecting myself. Now, as I requested." She didn't need to repeat herself, as the guard bowed to her and went back to his duties.

Willow sighed and took a breath, since casting glyphs still took a bit out of her. Once she let her semblance go, she began to walk remembering what she'd have to face. In her mind, it was her consequences. Major ones she knew was going to bite her back in the end, and as she made her way into the kitchen, she thought about the last time she made a dinner for her family without the help of Klein.

It was a day where the Butler was feeling under the weather, and she remembered how worried Weiss and Winter were for him. To help them feel better, she made them, and Whitley their favorites dishes, and it felt like a real family dinner.

Even Jacques was there that day.

She couldn't stop the tear from falling, as it slid down her right cheek, falling gently on the counter beneath her. Instead of wiping her face, she held her palm against her heart, feeling the most pain there.

It wasn't fair to blame others, or herself. Things just happened, but to lose the feeling of love for someone was what heartbreak was named after. Willow wasn't dumb, Jacques did have a form of love for her in the past, one she wished he still had, but the image and feeling of kissing him that night returned and she had to take a seat, pulling out a chair from the table to sit down.

"Jacques…" She wasn't pleading for him. It was almost like she mourned him, the person she thought she could spend her life with, only for all that hope and love had crashed down.

" _What kind of love did we have? How long did it truly last for?"_

Before she could ask herself more questions, she looked down at her scroll, seeing it light up from someone calling her. She saw the name and her expression lifted, so she answered it. "Calling this late isn't something I expected from you, Raven." She kept her voice low to not have anyone that may be around patrolling to overhear her.

"Don't get used to it, though you answered pretty quick, so I can only guess you weren't able to sleep." Raven said over the scroll.

"Next time I'll let it go for a few seconds," She tried joking, but sighed to herself. "There's a lot on my mind, so sleeping wasn't exactly possible tonight."

Raven took a few moments to reply, worrying Willow of what she'd say. "I'm gonna also assume it was the moron who caused you some grief?"

"Yes and no," Willow answered, and Raven waited for an explanation. "He had an issue with me being out late. I had no reason to lie, and told him I was out training and went to have dinner with you. No he doesn't have thoughts of that, but apparently I shouldn't waste my time with training was his rebuttal."

"Not surprised at the weak response he tries giving. The man may be powerful in business, but he's a spineless worm when it comes to physical confrontation." Raven seethed, wishing Willow didn't have to come home to that.

Willow let out a light chuckle at that. "Yes, I believe that's a good way to phrase it… But it's not just him. It's speaking to Winter tonight. I can't say it was a conversation I'll be looking forward to."

Raven felt bad for the woman, so she needed to try to at least assure her that things won't have to be difficult. "Just talk with the girl. Seeing as Ironwood trained her, I don't see her crying about whatever you have to say."

"I can't just talk to her." Willow reiterated. "There's more, too much to explain tonight. Look, there's just so much I'm trying to handle, but… Ugh, damn it. Am I selfish? For how I am… For being upset with the amount of stress I am going through?"

"No one likes stress, idiot." Raven badgered. "Every day has some bit of stress, and with how much you've kept bottled up, it was a matter of time before it exploded. So no, I don't think you're selfish. You're just overdo for a break from the madness."

Willow shook her head, refusing to even entertain the idea of giving herself a break. "There's no more time for breaks, Raven. I've delayed so much, just so my family won't be hurt, but I didn't realize I was doing the opposite of keeping them safe… I need to make things right."

"Idiot, you're only going to burn yourself out, and what good would you be to your family then? Huh? No, don't answer that." Willow felt her heart jump at Raven's words. "Make sure I'm not on speaker." After a few moments, Raven continued, knowing Willow was keeping her scroll up to her ear. "You and I know what happened tonight… I'm not going to deny or look back in regret, so let me make it clear, I'm going to help you with Jacques. You aren't alone."

Willow placed her hand back on her heart again, feeling that same spark she felt with Jacques years ago. "There's… Only so much you could do." She whispered somberly.

"Don't underestimate me, Willow Schnee. Just be prepared to shove his suitcase against his chest the moment you kick him out." Raven encouraged, and Willow bit her lip.

"Raven…" She slid her hand up to her lips, pressing two fingers on them as she thought back to her kiss with Jacques. "I kissed him…"

"You kissed him?" Raven suddenly felt the fear of Willow regretting their kiss.

Willow sniffled a bit, since the pain of losing her love for Jacques persisted. "I told him to kiss me during an argument, and he… He was confused by it. I chose to just kiss him and felt… Nothing. I felt nothing, Raven."

Hearing that made Raven feel guilty for assuming Willow was looking back at their kiss like it was a mistake. "Hmm, well… I don't want to say it's not a surprised, but-."

"I know, it isn't a surprise, but the fact that it meant… Nothing," Willow felt another stray tear drip down. "Goodness, I spent so much of my life with him," She felt more tears. "I loved him, Raven…"

The black haired huntress could hear the pain coming from the woman she was holding feelings for, and it angered her to know that it was the Schnee CEO who did such a thing to cause her that pain. "Willow, you're allowed to feel hurt by this-."

"I wish you were here…" Willow admitted, interrupting her.

"Willow…" Raven took a deep breath. "Okay,"

The call suddenly ended and Willow gasped, looking down at her scroll when she placed it on the table. "She… She hung up…" It was like the only other person she wanted to be with in her life just gave up on her.

It was painful, but that pain would soon fade when a red flash caused Willow to quickly stand up and turn, seeing a black and red oval shaped swirl appear in her room. Her heart was beating faster in fear, but not a moment later, Raven walked through it. "You said you wanted me here… So I'm here."

* * *

 **I know I missed a week, but I just wasn't feeling it, and also it was Thanksgiving week, so adding onto the fact that I just wasn't in the writing mood, I just couldn't finish up this chapter.**

 **Anyways, to me, this chapter is very important to growing these two. No it's not just about their relationship itself. It's to show who they were and who they may be in the future.**

 **To JJ- Yang is definitely a very mature and understanding character in my eyes, with her own demons that pushes the thought of a realistic approach to life, while also preserving the joy and fun loving personality she has over it all. So yeah, writing her down that way in the last chapter was something I was happy to do. Also with Weiss, acceptance is hard, but it's something she realizes after learning she wasn't born a Schnee will come sooner or later.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 115. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 116.**


	116. Like Me

**Here's chapter 116, everyone.**

* * *

"What are you doing here? How are you here?" Willow questioned, having just witnessed the raven haired woman walk through a red portal into her home. She didn't wait on an answer and began trying to push her away, surprising Raven. "Y-You can't be here right now. Jacques could-."

"Calm down, put on your coat and let's go. I'm not letting you stay here if this is what you're like fearing this man." Raven said in a serious tone, not at all being moved by Willow.

For a moment, Willow wanted to continue pushing her away, but the simple fact of her not wanting to be there was winning that fight. "Raven, I can't leave. My son is… He needs me here. If I leave him with his Father-."

"I get it, okay." Raven sighed and rubbed the back of her head. "Look, you wanted me here, and how I got here, well, I linked my semblance to you."

Willow was taken aback, but with how close they had gotten, she wasn't about to ask why, so she simply sat back down. "You should tell someone before doing that," She took a deep breath and surprisingly let out a smile. "Though I shouldn't complain. You are here after all."

"And from how late it is, dear old Jacques is more than likely asleep, so you shouldn't freak out over nothing. As for your son," Raven glanced over her shoulder for a moment. "The boy will need to figure out that his dad is scum."

Even if Jacques was scum, to Whitley, he was still his Father in the end, and Willow knew that would affect her son more than anything. "Going against his own Father isn't exactly what I see happening so easily, Raven. And without me here, it wouldn't be-."

"You're making him dependent on you. That won't help him." Raven said as she crossed her arms.

"Neither will leaving him with Jacques." Willow almost raised her voice, but kept it down, as she didn't want to risk waking Jacques, and Raven waited on her to continue, as she could tell how stressed Willow was. "I can't… Damn it." She got up again and walked over, grabbing her coat from where she threw it after getting back home that night. "Let's go…"

Raven was actually caught off guard, not expecting Willow to change her mind so easily. "Hold on, what about-."

"We can talk outside." Willow didn't waste any time and walked through the front entrance, knowing where each camera around the manor was, so she took specific routes to the garden, where a white table would stay. "Sit down please."

Once Willow took a seat on one of the chairs, Raven simply sat next to her. "Okay, obviously you have something you don't want anyone to hear, so-."

"When I told you about kissing him, and how I felt nothing… I kept wondering what he felt out of it. The look on his face was," She thought about what to say. "Clear. He wasn't angry, or annoyed by it. He was confused. And that made me wonder why."

"Why what?" Raven inquired.

"Why after all of the horrible things he's done to his own family, would he have some form of regret in those things. Should I just forgive it all because he feels guilty… Or continue down the path I've set on getting away from him and making sure he can't hurt my children anymore?" Willow questioned aloud, having an internal battle with herself.

Raven reached her hand over, placing it over Willow's. "You said it yourself already. The kiss didn't mean anything to you, so at this point, you can't stop now. It's your life, not his."

"Even so, I feel so selfish!" Willow tried to not shout, but it just came out. "My own children will have the pain of seeing their parents-."

"Split apart, yeah, I know how it feels to be the cause of that pain…" Raven interrupted, and Willow raised her head up, with a look of regret in her expression.

"Raven, I-."

The black haired huntress held her hand up. "Relax, I'm just saying that I get how you feel, and trust me, if I could go back in time, I'd at least try and not split up the way I did."

"W-Wait, wouldn't you go back to maybe fix things with you and-."

"No, because then he and Summer wouldn't have gotten together… They wouldn't have started their family by having Ruby." The wind blew past them. "I can't change that much, but to lessen the pain on both him and Yang, I would've at least done that much."

Willow felt Raven squeezing her hand, so she flipped her hand over to hold hers in return. "You're saying I still have time to make sure it goes over in a way that won't hurt my children."

"You're not as much of an idiot as I make you out to be." Raven smirked, and Willow glared in response, pulling her hand away.

"Hmph, keep calling me an idiot and I won't invite you out to dinner, Branwen." Willow fired back.

Raven shrugged. "Oh well, I guess us non rich peasants will just have to go ice fishing."

There was silence for a few moments, but then after a bit, Willow let out a smile and even laughed a bit, while Raven herself even chuckled lightly. "You really do know how to cheer me up… Thank you, Raven, for being here."

"Like I said, you wanted me here, so I'll be here." Raven said with sincerity. "I have to remember that for… Others as well."

Willow nodded, but suddenly felt her scroll vibrating in her coat pocket, so she grabbed it out and noticed it was Winter. "What is she doing calling at this time?" Raven raised an eyebrow, but Willow simply pressed accept on her scroll, to see that her eldest daughter had requested for a video call. "Winter? What's-."

"Mother, I can't stay quiet, even if we had only just spoken about this several hours ago. And… Wait, are you outside? Why are you outside at this hour?" Winter asked, more out of concern than anything.

Raven did wonder why Willow chose to only bring her coat outside too actually, seeing as she was still only wearing her slippers in the Atlas cold, but she stayed quiet for the time being, since she was out of sight of the video call.

"I needed fresh air, but enough of that. About what we spoke of hours ago, I… Winter you have to understand the complications behind everything. There is so much I need to talk to you and your sister about." Willow tried reasoning.

"Mother, I," Winter took a moment to collect her thoughts. "I took it upon myself to try and understand things from your point of view, and while I cannot lie about being unhappy, I do understand the fears you had, and why you made the choices to keep her safe." Hearing how Winter was speaking began to make Willow nervous. "But right now, all of that needs to be put away… Weiss is here with me, and she knows… Everything."

Willow's heart shattered in that moment, as Raven herself was shocked by what she had just heard. The Schnee woman dropped her scroll on the table, as Winter was still in video call, seeing the frozen expression on her Mother's shocked face.

"Mother… Mother this is not the time to freeze up!" Winter yelled, startling Willow out of her trance, as she shakingly lifted her scroll back up, and Winter waited for just a moment before sighing. "Mom, whatever else you haven't told her, told us, needs to come out in the open, because right now, Weiss is learning about her… Heritage."

Raven slowly got up, not even getting a reaction from Willow, as she chose not to intrude on the conversation meant for their ears only, even if she did know a lot about it already. Once she walked off, she could see the same look of dread in Willow's face, and felt terrible for not being able to help her.

"No… No, no, no, she wasn't supposed to find out this way." Willow silently said to herself, as she set the scroll down and held her head in her hands, while her daughter sighed.

"Well, she has, and honestly, she's not as mad as you would think, but she also needs you, Mom." Winter had stuck to calling her Mom in that situation, to show she was serious. It was opposite for the Schnee sisters, and their Mother picked up on that.

Willow was holding back tears, as everything was crashing down on her. "How does she know then? Did you tell her?"

"I didn't have to. Whether you wish to be angry with her for this or not is your choice. I wasn't happy with it either, but apparently she snuck her way out to Kuroyuri, a small rundown town near Mistral. It was here that she met what I know now as, the Hidden." Winter explained.

"W-What? No, that can't be possible… Meeting others like that, in the open? I… More to tell you I suppose." Willow was fighting back so many thoughts, having to think of so many things at once was putting a strain on the poor woman.

Raven kept an eye on her, as Winter spoke again. "This isn't the time for a million questions. Weiss is… Happy, Mother."

Willow was taken aback. "H-Happy?"

"Yes, she told me how much it hurt to learn about… Not being born as a human, but after her talks with Ruby, it seems she has taken the steps to accept and move on with this information." Winter summarised, wishing her sister didn't have to go through so much at this point of her life, but was still happy she wasn't breaking down for it either.

"Is… Is she with you right now?" Willow asked.

"As I said, she's speaking with someone, another of her… Ugh, I hate saying her kind. Just, she's speaking with someone else with her abilities, so if you want to speak to her-."

Willow's eyes widened. "Wait, you said she snuck out to get to a town near Mistral, so someone had to fly her there."

"Y-Yes, it seems that Klein had taken part in this little venture, bringing Weiss, the team she's with, and another team from Beacon." Winter answered.

"K-Klein… So that's where he wanted to truly be." Willow shut her eyes for a moment, feeling guilty for having Klein be involved in the middle of everything, but another thought occurred. "Yang is with them…" Willow quickly looked to Raven, who looked back in confusion as she didn't expect the Schnee woman to look over.

"Uh, yes, she and Ruby are staying with Klein at the moment. In another airship." Winter stated.

Willow stood up and lifted her scroll up as well. "Winter, I'm going to make things right. I have to… Bring your sister to Yang. I'll be there soon."

"W-What? Mother, you are in Atlas." Winter reminded.

"And Yang's Mother is here in Atlas too. If you know enough about her, then you know her semblance can bring her right to people she's connected it with. I'm-."

"Stop." Winter demanded, and Willow wasn't sure why'd she say such a thing. "Mom, Weiss was very overwhelmed by the information. From what she's told me, and from how she broke down when I spoke to her… Right now, I need you not to just bring yourself here at this point. I need you to meet her at Beacon."

Willow didn't understand the reasoning behind that one bit. "I can be there right now, why shouldn't I?"

"Because you both need time," Winter stated and took a deep breath. "I yelled at you enough times during our arguments, and… I'm sorry for that, but from how you've reacted, and from how Weiss has reacted, you both need time to step away from this and speak with each other calmly. That's why I'll bring her back to Beacon myself, and you can bring yourself here without shortcuts from Ms. Branwen."

"It's not a shortcut! I need… I need to make things right." Willow cried out.

Winter let out a small reassuring smile. "I know you do, and that right there is enough for Weiss and I. To know you want to fix this, but we also don't want you to be hurt by this… Weiss helped me realize how much this must hurt you to hear your own daughter fighting with you, so that's why I want you to take some time, and just… Relax."

Willow slowly sat back down, laying the scroll on the table as she fixed up her bangs, sniffling a bit. "I'm not sure what to say…"

"You don't have to say anything for now, but soon, when you are both calm, that's when you can tell us, everything. Okay?" Winter tried to be much more reasonable and understanding at that point. "And if it helps, Weiss still sees herself as a human more than what she was born as."

Hearing that did bring some hope to Willow, as she didn't want her daughter to feel she had to change because of the information. "Tonight has been… So much… I only hope, wait, you said everything, does she know of… Her Mother too?"

Winter slowly nodded. "Maybe not everything about her, but she at least knows by simply connecting the dots."

Willow looked up at the moon, wishing Lazuria was standing next to her then and there. "I see… Winter, I'll do what you asked of me, and relax… As best I could. Thank you for letting me know. I love you, sweetie."

"I love you too, Mother, and I'll let Weiss know that you and her need some time." Winter assured.

"If she needs to talk to me, don't say no. Please," Willow begged. "Promise me you will let her call me the moment she needs to speak to me. I refuse to wait any longer on telling her what she wants to know."

Winter wasn't sure she wanted to promise that, but with how things were, she nodded. "Okay, but only if she wants to speak to you directly."

* * *

"So with transformation, it wasn't just about exerting aura, it was about the want. To be human." Olivia smiled while explaining more about the Hidden. "I don't know everything there is, but I do know how much we wanted to be part of society. And with our gifts, the want overcame the simple idea of needing aura."

Weiss was fascinated by what she was learning. "You're saying I can control it well enough to not need to expend aura?"

"That is, partially correct. While I do wish the transitions between forms took no energy at all, there is still a small source of aura needed, but it can be so minuscule that it wouldn't be a bother." Olivia reiterated. "It takes time though, and a lot of practice."

"Honestly I've already had practice before all of this." Weiss said, surprising Olivia. "I've had a lot of help, from my partner." She smiled, thinking back to all the times Ruby helped her train the use of what she had thought was her semblance. "I managed to cut down my aura use."

"That's good. You should continue working on that." Olivia recommended, happy to see a fellow Hidden learning to use her abilities. "Who is this partner of yours by the way? They seem to show enough interest to help you that much."

Weiss let out a light blush. "W-Well, her name is Ruby, and she's more than just a team partner." The blush said enough.

"Ah, you two are close…" Olivia was reminded of her husband. "You're only kids still, and while I doubt you'd want to hear this from someone like me, but always keep her close. The moment you become… Separated… Is the hardest."

Knowing a bit of her situation made Weiss feel sorry for the woman. "I'm sorry for whatever happened, but I trust Ruby more than anything, so even when we become separated, I know she's okay wherever she may be."

Olivia raised her head back up, seeing how sincere Weiss was being in her words, and it gave her some hope as well. "I see," She let out a small smile. "Maybe I should try learning from you now."

"Whatever it is that happened, I'm sure my sister will be able to help you." Weiss smiled back, showing she had a lot of faith in her big sister.

"Thank you, I-."

"Ruby Rose you cannot just waltz in here! Do not go in there!" Winter's voice rang out, and Weiss turned to see the door to the small cabin room open, revealing Ruby, and Yang holding her sister back.

Weiss was taken aback, seeing her partner taking a few breaths, seeing as she had to rush past a bunch of soldiers and Winter Schnee herself. "R-Ruby, what in the world are you doing?"

After a few moments of catching her breath, Ruby walked over and hugged her girlfriend. "I was worried…"

"Worried?" Weiss looked down at her, but returned the embrace as she looked confused. "Ruby, I'm fine."

"Hmm," Ruby hummed and let go, as Winter pushed past Yang, who groaned since the Atlas Specialist had used her semblance to push her back.

"I'm not apologizing." Winter said as she glanced back at Yang, looking annoyed with both the blonde girl and her younger sister. "You two were not given permission to board my airship." Her voice had a bit of venom in it.

Weiss pulled away from her partner, sighing a bit. "Winter, I'll deal with them. Please don't make such a big deal out of this."

Her older sister was a bit reluctant, but seeing as it was Ruby and Yang, two people she knew long enough to know they wouldn't cause too many problems, she sighed and crossed her arms, choosing to walk out, but said one thing before leaving. "Make sure they don't blow anything up."

Yang grinned and rubbed the back of her head, looking over at Weiss. "Heh, well… That was a thing. Soooo, who's that?" The blonde asked of Olivia, and Weiss glanced over, smiling a bit.

"This is Olivia, and she's a Hidden, like me." Weiss answered, respectfully accepting her heritage.

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 **Long story short, I just need time here and there. Sorry for taking so long on posting this. Anyways, there's gonna be two more chapters before we get out of this night in the story. It's been a long arc in terms of a night, and I think I'm ready to work on the next part. Hope you all enjoy it.**

 **To JJ- Thank you for understanding, and as for Willow and Raven, they definitely still have complications here and there. Namely with how Willow isn't sure yet on how to handle her relationship with Jacques. Yes, she felt nothing, but that doesn't mean she wants to cause pain to her children, even if at this point, Weiss doesn't consider Jacques her dad, and Winter knows of how their Father is a horrible man.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 116. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 117.**


	117. Let's Go Home

**Here's chapter 117, everyone.**

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"Uh, so should we maybe ask them when we're getting out of here? Just asking." Jaune pointed out, while Blake was deep in thought, so she didn't have an answer for the boy, but someone else spoke up about the situation.

"Please just be a bit more patient. Sno-, Miss Schnee and her older sister have a lot to talk about." Klein explained.

Jaune sighed a bit and stood up. "Right, well I'll stay outside to keep watch again. Gotta be sure nothing attacks us while we're just kinda sitting out here."

Pyrrha was about to offer to go, but Ren stood up with his Stormflower. "I'll go too. Better to have more than one person out there."

As both Jaune and Ren made their way out of the airship, Nora stretched a yawned. "Ugh, I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I am super tired! A fight with some crazy chick really takes a lot out of ya."

Blake was pulled back into the conversation after Nora brought up the fight they had in Kuroyuri. "I was thinking about it… I'm not sure if we should just stay quiet about it. The group, I mean." Blake's cat ears drooped under her bow. "If they really just hunt people to kill them-."

Pyrrha cut in. "There's a lot we still have to know, Jaune and I, and hearing more of what you said… It doesn't help my nerves, Blake. And if I'm feeling this way now, the thought of someone like Ozpin not knowing," She took a breath. "I'd be inclined to agree that telling others may be for the best."

Nora sat up and had a look of concern. "Hey, I'm all about kicking bad guys' butts and all, but doesn't Weiss wanna, y'know, stay clear of that group? If we tell other people, it might become way bigger than we think."

"Weiss wouldn't have to get involved, but other people who are much more experienced than us could actually put a stop to them." Blake stated.

"Look, with groups, I try to ignore em a bit too. Seeing what the White Fang does," That made Blake tense up. "Isn't exactly what I wanna see out there, but they are out there. And that's why it's kinda tough to think telling other people will change anything." Nora said surprisingly.

Blake was honestly taken aback by how the usually hyperactive member of JNPR was speaking so differently. "Nora, because people know about the White Fang, it makes it easier to be on the lookout for them."

Nora sighed and laid back on multiple seats. "Yeah, maybe. I just don't think we should go behind Weiss' back is all. Me and Ren were upset about our hometown, and all because we wanted to come back… Her life is taking a huge spiral."

That's what it was, and Blake could feel just how guilty Nora was, while Pyrrha spoke up. "You shouldn't blame yourself for what happened. No one could've expected it."

"Hey, I already had the talk about not feeling bad… But I still do okay." Nora closed her eyes, while the expression on her face hardened, showing how upset she was with herself.

"Would it make you feel better if I were to talk to Weiss about it first? If she says no, then I won't say a word to anyone about what happened here tonight." Blake tried reasoning, while Klein himself was staying quiet, happy to see how Weiss was able to make friends that looked out for her.

Nora opened one eye to glance over at Blake, sighing and nodding a bit. "Yeah… Sure. Sorry about getting… Lame. I hate being all mopey. It's no fun."

Blake let out a small smile, seeing a bit of Nora returning to the orange haired girl, as she looked over at Pyrrha. "Does this ever happen back at Beacon with you guys?"

"Honestly," Pyrrha chuckled lightly. "There was this one time where she had a cold for a few days. Ren made her stay in bed and she was miserable, even told us how annoyed she was and how she wished she could rip off her nose… I'm actually glad Jaune walked in on her when she was trying to find scissors that day."

The cat Faunus blinked a few times, unsure if that was supposed to be a joke, as Pyrrha was rubbing the back of her head. And all Blake could think of was a noseless Nora, cheering how she wasn't sick anymore.

Zwei however snapped her out of the weird image by nuzzling up next to Blake, who tensed up at first, but shrugged it off. She wasn't completely fond of dogs yet, but Zwei was becoming a special exception, mostly because she knew being part of the team, he'd be sent over a bunch of times, and it honestly didn't upset her all that much.

* * *

Yang was relaxing on one of the beds, sitting back and watching as Weiss was talking with Olivia, while Ruby was quietly listening in as well. "It's not always about fighting when you're an animal. Being skilled fighting as a human will be just as strong."

Weiss nodded, casting a glyph over her hand and letting it spin a bit. "Learning about my actual semblance, I wanted to try and fight without resorting to becoming a wolf. It's… Not easy though. I've trained for so long as a wolf, and my weapon was even made to help me fight using my teeth."

"It's not like you only fight as a wolf though." Ruby was smiling, showing support for her girlfriend. "Remember back during initiation when you didn't wanna show us how you can be a wolf? And when we were sparring with JNPR." Weiss blushed a bit being reminded of those times.

Olivia let out a few light laughs. "Well than, you were being a bit modest there. It gets easier, I can assure you of that."

"I hope so." Weiss looked back at her older sister, who seemed to be getting just a bit impatient with how they were still landed. W-Winter, um, we can start going if you'd like… I should get back over with Klein though first and-."

"If you forgot, I will remind you that I said that I'd bring you back to Beacon myself. Ruby and Yang can return with Klein." Winter said in a stern tone.

Yang was surprised and Ruby instantly voiced her concern. "If we're all going to the same place, why can't Weiss just come back with us?"

Winter sighed, as she knew it was going to be an issue once Ruby and Yang showed up on her airship. "I'm making sure nothing else happens getting her back to Beacon. No detours, no unnecessary stops. Knowing you all, I can only expect that and after everything that's happened tonight, I have no intentions on risking any further complications for my sister."

Weiss frowned, wishing her older sister wasn't so strict and overprotective, while Yang got up from the bed she was on. "Whoa, whoa, if you don't know the full story yet, most of us were down there fighting for our lives. We know how serious this is, and getting to Beacon is a priority. So don't-."

"Yang," Ruby raised her voice slightly, startling her sister, Weiss and Winter. "Winter is just doing what any big sister would do. You know you'd want to do the same. We can't be mad at her for that," Yang didn't like that one bit, but luckily Ruby continued. "But, it doesn't mean we should stay quiet either." She looked to Winter again. "I know you're her big sister, I do, but I'd feel better staying by her."

The Atlas Specialist pinched the bridge of her nose. "Then stay on this airship. I don't care."

Ruby shook her head. "We can't. If there's even a chance that the airship the others are on gets attacked during the trip back, then we need to be on there. And since I know your airship is packed with soldiers, and is better outfitted than the one we showed up in, you'll be okay, but our friends are on that other airship, including Klein." Weiss' heart skipped a beat at the thought of abandoning Klein in that regard, while Winter still had her arms crossed, contemplating Ruby's reasoning. "Please, Winter. Weiss is apart of Team RWBY… We all do our best when we're all together."

Winter glanced towards her sister, who simply had a look of pleading on her face, while Yang however was just waiting on her answer. After a couple of moments, she sighed. "Fine, but as soon as we all land, I am informing your parents like I said I would."

Yang groaned, and Ruby nodded in agreement. "That's fair to me, Winter. Thank you."

"Hmm," Winter walked up to her sister. "Since Mother already knows, I won't be informing Father… He doesn't need to know."

Weiss was forever grateful, as even though not being that focused on by her Father to begin with, the times he was upset with her, those weren't the times she wished she was there for. "T-Thank you, Winter."

The Atlas Specialist turned her attention to Olivia. "I didn't forget my promise either. As soon as my sister is safely back at Beacon, I will resume the search for your husband, but-."

"Only for a certain amount of time… I remembered. I appreciate the effort nonetheless." Olivia said with a respectful bow.

"Yes, well… If that's all settled," She walked back over to the door. "Weiss, go on back to Klein. I will also be having a talk with your Headmaster when we get there."

"Hey! You said you'd only tell our parents! Seriously, Winter, we could get expelled for sneaking out and going all the way near Mistral without a supervising hunter." Yang exclaimed.

Winter rolled her eyes. "If you'd let me finish, I was going to talk with him about my mission that the General sent me on. He has ties with Ozpin, and I have several questions for him. I won't tell him of your escapades in Kuroyuri."

Yang blinked a few times. "Oh."

"Ugh, you overreact to everything." Winter said as she stepped out of the room, and Yang gave an embarrassed look of defeat, as Ruby giggled and helped her sister out of the room, but looked back to see Weiss standing there.

"Huh? Weiss, whatcha doing? Come on." Ruby beckoned her girlfriend over.

"Just a minute." Weiss turned around and took a breath as she held her hand out to Olivia. "Thank you for taking the time to help me understand more about my heritage, Olivia."

Olivia smiled, accepting her hand as she shook it a few times. "You're welcome, Weiss, and if there is a way I can speak to you again, don't hesitate to ask me more. Meeting another of my kind, a new person in fact… It was something I didn't know I needed."

Weiss felt a warmth in her heart, and she let go of Olivia's hand before giving a respectful curtsy, still keeping the part of her she grew up as within herself. "I'd have to agree with that." She turned back and ran to the exit, but glanced over her shoulder. "Oh, and… I know my sister will find your husband." The Ice wolf then ran out, following her partner and best friend, while Olivia sighed happily, while resting her hands on her legs, having more hope in finding her husband.

* * *

"Jaune, look." Ren pointed out, and the blonde leader glanced over, seeing Ruby, Weiss and Yang walking over.

"Yo!" Yang waved to the two, and both of them were glad to see they didn't have to wait much longer to start heading back home. "Sorry we took so long. Ice Wolf here was learning a few lessons."

Both Jaune and Ren seemed confused by what she said, while Weiss groaned and slapped Yang's arm, earning a yelp and a few chuckles in response. "Ignore her. Anyways, I'm ready to head back. Is Klein… Is he okay?"

"Huh? Well, yeah, why wouldn't he be?" Jaune asked.

Weiss shook her head. "It's nothing, forget about it." She walked past the two and went inside, ignoring the others as she made her way to Klein.

As she was doing that, Jaune looked back to Ruby. "Is everything okay?"

"Honestly, it turned out a lot better than we hoped." Ruby smiled, happy to see her partner was doing much better than she was back in Kuroyuri. "I think right now the best thing we can all do, is get in the airship, go home and kinda just, well, keep on with our lives."

"Uh, right. I won't ask too many questions. Just hope she'll be okay." Jaune said as he rubbed the back of his head, still a bit concerned for the white haired girl.

Yang patted his shoulder. "Hey, no worries. And thanks for looking out for her, Vomit Boy." She winked at him playfully, while the blonde leader groaned in response at the nickname, following her into the airship.

Ren however did ask Ruby to hold on, and the rose girl waited on what he would say. "I know we've been through this already, but I wanted to thank you again for coming with us out here." Ren bowed respectfully. "Saying this won't help, but-."

"Don't apologize." Ren raised his eyebrows and lifted his head back up. "I realized that I had a bit of regret coming here before, but after seeing how Weiss was starting to feel happier about what we all learned down there, well… I think it's for the best. So please don't say sorry."

"I see, well, I'll still be grateful to you all for what you've done for us today." Ren let out a small smile and made his way back into the airship, while Ruby was glad the boy wouldn't try apologizing anymore.

Ruby took one last look at Kuroyuri before going inside the airship. A few moments later, Klein began getting the airship off the ground, and the group made their way back home.

* * *

 **I'm glad I didn't take too long on this chapter. Anyways, this one and the next are more of an epilogue for the arc. Then I'll be moving onto the next arc that will hopefully not take too long to work on. Sorry about all the delays again.**

 **To JJ- Willow has a lot on her plate, and she's going to have to figure something out if she wants to help Whitley get away from his Father, while also having to go through talking with Weiss about keeping a seventeen year old lie going. And yeah, I liked having Olivia teach Weiss more about her heritage. It was a nice moment to get to.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 117. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 118.**


	118. Time To Rest

**Here's chapter 118, everyone**

* * *

"So, should I ask or leave it alone? This is the second time tonight where I was here when your daughter called you." Raven said to Willow when she walked over, and when she noticed Willow wasn't responding, she sighed. "Leave it alone, got it." She took a seat next to the distraught Schnee.

"Having more to think about is something I should've expected." Willow slowly placed her hand over Raven's, who didn't flinch, as she already knew what Willow was upset with, just based on what she heard her yelling. "If I asked you for help, would you say I'd be using you as a shortcut?"

Raven raised an eyebrow, seeing as she was unsure of what that part meant. "Depends on what you would ask for. Why?"

Willow sighed. "I wanted to ask you to bring me to my daughter. Weiss. Through the use of your semblance, but Winter told me she'd rather me not do that right now and simply come to Beacon… I don't know if I can wait."

"Hmm, well, I don't really know what's going on between you and your daughters, but right now, you need more rest than just adding on to more stress." Raven suggested.

The Schnee woman pulled her hand away, feeling the cold wind against her skin, as she held her hand to her chest. "Rest would be nice… But I don't know if I can in this house." She said, looking towards the manor.

"I'd offer the cabin, but-."

"Yes." Willow instantly took the offer, and Raven blinked a few times. "I just need to get away from here, and… I always liked resting in that cabin."

Raven shrugged, getting herself up and walking a bit away. "I'll wait for you to change, because I'm not about to walk someone in the snow that's still wearing slippers."

Willow looked down at her feet, noticing they were in fact still in slippers, so she blushed in embarrassment of forgetting to fully change. "R-Right. I'll be back…" She quickly stood up and ran into the manor to change.

The black haired huntress let out a light chuckle, but quickly returned her focus on what she could do for Willow. On one hand, she could betray her word on not telling Willow that Lazuria was alive and back at the warehouse, and on the other, she could continue keeping it a secret while supporting her in other ways.

" _There's always more options, but this is too special of a situation. Not to mention I already told that woman to not even speak to her daughter… Even my own word to keep Willow safe is starting to crumble."_

Willow's safety was the reason why Raven didn't want to say anything in the first place, but the pain and stress that she was experiencing was beginning to outweigh the possible danger that may befall her.

" _Make a choice before it's too late."_

Raven said to herself, thinking about how she'd handle her current situation, though she did at least know how to start. Getting Willow to bed.

* * *

"Weiss," The white haired teen grumbled in her sleep, as she slowly allowed her eyes to open, seeing those silver orbs glancing at her from the side. "Hey there, sleepy head." Ruby smiled and the sun was actually starting to rise. "We're home."

Hearing that, Weiss looked around, seeing that the others were still asleep in the airship. "W-We are?" She yawned and Ruby nodded, helping her up and walking her over to one of the windows. "Beacon, thank goodness." Weiss said in relief.

"Yup, and we sooooo have to come up with a backup excuse. I mean, we're already probably gonna be stopped by someone who works for the school, since, well, y'know, an airship landing would kinda grab someone's attention." Ruby chuckled nervously.

Weiss groaned, knowing full well Ruby was right, even if her sister had contacted Beacon already, someone would more than likely be waiting for them for clearance. "Right, um, well I can say that Winter requested my assistance with urgent matters, and I chose to bring help along."

"Never pegged you for one to try and lie about your sister needing help, Ice Wolf." Yang said after yawning, giving a big one while speaking. "Ahhhh, have we actually landed yet? I'm like, fifty percent awake here."

"Right about to, and I'm not trying to… Lie, per say, I simply wanted to rearrange the truth a bit." Weiss countered, since technically they were assisting, but it wasn't Winter they were helping. "Look, you already heard what Winter is doing anyways." Weiss reminded. "Our parents will know, and not Ozpin, so if we just say we were helping her, I know she'll support it."

Yang stretched out her arms and chuckled a little. "I like this new side of you, Ice Wolf. Making up lies to cover us."

Weiss reached up for her wolf pendant, sighing a bit. "Don't get used to it. Lying doesn't lead to anything good… The only reason I'm doing it now is because we did something for our friends, nothing more."

Ruby noticed her girlfriend was not in the best of moods, so she rubbed her arm a few times. "Hey, it's okay if I speak up on it. I am the team leader after all, and don't forget, I volunteered us to help out."

"It could be Ozpin that shows up, Ruby. I don't want you getting in trouble for this." Weiss expressed her worry.

"Honestly, if it's Ozpin, I think we'd be pretty okay. He always seemed like the most understanding at Beacon." Ruby said with a positive expression on her face.

Weiss was still nervous, but she let out a small smile and nodded.

Yang watched them, happy for the two, and happy she finally told her sister and Blake about how she had feelings for Weiss. And thinking about Blake, the blonde brawler looked down at her own partner, seeing her snoring while resting her head against her shoulder. "I guess I'm your pillow, Shadowcat." She whispered to herself, also thinking about the kiss they first shared.

While Weiss went to go check on Klein, Ruby glanced over at her sister, seeing Yang smiling down at Blake. It brought a sense of relief to Ruby, as everyone was finally starting to feel better, and knowing full well that something happened between her sister and Blake, she'd have a lot to talk about in the next few days.

"Klein," Weiss called out to the man she looked at as a Father. He was setting the airship down, and looked back to her.

"Snowflake, I'm glad to see you're awake. We're just setting down," He confirmed, and Weiss walked up to him, instantly wrapping her arms around him when she felt the airship was landed. "Snowflake?"

Weiss felt hugged him even tighter, so he wrapped one arm around her, patting her back a few times as he smiled. "Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me for flying you-."

"Not for that." Weiss slowly pulled away, as she brought both hands up to her wolf pendant. "Thank you for being here for me since I was born… I know you promised Mother not to say anything, so it means you knew from the beginning." She didn't care about letting a tear fall, and Klein instantly got up and hug her, not wanting to see his Snowflake cry.

"You shouldn't thank me for lying to you…" Klein said with a pained voice, suppressing his other personalities all night. "All I did was bring you pain with that lie."

Weiss shook her head so many times at that. "Please don't say that," She sniffled and gently pulled from the embrace. "I was able to grow up with a loving Mother, sister, and a Father," She said in reference to Klein himself. "And… Sometimes a brother." Weiss looked down to the side, hoping one day she could reconnect with her little brother, but she returned her attention to Klein. "You helped me live, Klein. I'll always love you."

Klein felt a few tears fall, as he pulled out a handkerchief and blew into it, his eyes changing color to yellow. "And I'll always love you too, my Snowflake." A moment later, he sneezed and his eyes shifted to a light blue, as he started to sneeze a few times, and wiggled his nose around, looking up to take note of Weiss giggling at his changes, something that made him happy to see.

* * *

Winter informed her team of business she had to attend to at Beacon, and while she knew that this little trip would make it back to Ironwood, she was prepared to deal with the consequences. "Stay here till I'm finished with business here, okay." The Atlas Specialist said to Olivia.

"I've proven that I wouldn't run before, so I hope you have some trust in me to not leave." Olivia countered, as she was feeling rather tired from the long night.

"Yes, well after everything that's happened, sometimes a stressing environment can set any individual off." Winter remarked with her arms held behind her back. "I simply need to speak with the Headmaster of this school about my mission."

Olivia did overhear her saying that to Ruby, Weiss and Yang before. "I won't lie to you and say that doesn't make me nervous… Your mission has something to do with us Hidden."

"I understand your concern, but you must realize that if there is a chance to locate The Relentless, having others knowing of their presence would be helpful." Winter stated.

"Yes, I know… Just please don't mention I'm here. Even if this is a school for Hunters, I still don't want anyone knowing what I am." Olivia requested.

Winter figured she would request her presence to not be a known factor, so she respectfully nodded. "Very well, but I do need to warn you that the General will have to know when we return to Atlas."

Olivia's heart was racing, but she couldn't get out of that. Winter had her orders, and going against a General would spell bad news for both of them. "O-Okay…"

"I'm sorry." Winter genuinely was, ever since she learned about her sister's heritage, and how Olivia must be feeling, so she turned on her boot and walked out, leaving the woman to her rest.

* * *

As the two teams were all awake and stepping off the airship, they noticed it was in fact Professor Ozpin who was waiting on them. "I told you…" Weiss whispered and looked distraught, but before Ruby could say anything, Winter walked past them.

The Atlas Specialist gave a respectful bow to the man. "Professor Ozpin, I apologize for this rather unexpected meeting, but I have urgent matters to attend to, and I can explain why two teams from your school were with me."

Both teams were surprised she was about to try and keep them from getting in trouble, except for Weiss, who was thankful that her sister was helping them so much. Ozpin however glanced at the two teams, who all still did look a little nervous on how he'd react, so he sighed and nodded. "Very well, but you of all people should know of informing someone when their students will go out missing."

Jaune spoke up. "M-Missing?"

Ozpin tapped his cane on the ground, nodding to the boy. "You should know a Headmaster always knows what goes on in his own school."

The blonde team leader rubbed the back of his head and chuckled a few times nervously. "R-Right."

Nora elbowed his side and whispered something about playing it cool, so Winter took back over and spoke. "This really is an urgent matter, Professor, so I'd rather we get back to your office to discuss this as soon as possible."

"Hmm, yes, well follow me. The rest of you, get back to your dorms before Ms. Goodwitch wakes up and catches you out this early." Ozpin gave them a warning, showing he wasn't going to punish them for being out of school, but Glynda would if she caught them.

Seven of the Eight students fled back to Beacon, with Zwei following right behind them. Weiss however stayed behind, looking to her sister. "W-Winter, should I… Be there too?"

Winter knew why she asked, but that would mean telling Ozpin that she was a Hidden, and with how things have been, she wasn't ready to just outright tell people that. "No, go on and get some rest, Weiss. I'll contact you when my meeting is over."

Weiss wanted to argue that, but when she felt Klein holding her shoulder, she saw his assuring smile, so she took a breath and nodded. After a moment, she bowed to Ozpin as well, as more of a silent apology. She then ran towards Beacon, hoping to catch up with her team.

Winter cleared her throat. "Professor, there is a lot to discuss."

* * *

 **Finally I can get things moving again from that night. It wasn't exactly how I wanted it to go, with how many chapters went into that single night, but I think it still worked out in the end. Hope you all were able to endure it.**

 **To JJ- Honestly, that part with Nora feeling guilty was the hardest part to write in that chapter, since I wanted her to also be in character too. So I'm glad I was able to stay true to that in your eyes. As for Winter, seeing as her little sister's life is being uncovered, she needed to be there for her, and with the upcoming chapters, you know she'll be more active in this story for Weiss' sake.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 118. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 119.**


	119. Hunt

**Here's chapter 119, everyone.**

* * *

Winter sat across from Ozpin, sighing to herself as she had to recount a lot that had happened during the previous night, though several parts were left out, those being about her little sister. "You do understand what I'm trying to tell you here, Headmaster? General Ironwood has informed me that these sightings were not to be taken lightly, and with what I've encountered and discovered, I can say he was correct."

Ozpin had his elbows on the desk, with his hands folded in front of his forehead, as he contemplated the many possibilities of what The Hidden were dealing with.

"When you say that they are not to be taken lightly, are you speaking of the Hidden? Or everything surrounding them?" Ozpin asked the Atlas Specialist as he put his hands down.

"At this point, from the one I have spoken with, she herself is not a threat per say. Her hostility with me and my team was only enacted due to the group I mentioned. Being hunted does prove to bring fear and a defensive stance on anyone, especially those with weapons." Winter said in defense of Olivia.

"And this group. You've been informed by this woman that they hunt Hidden individuals due to their heritage. Animals born into this world with the gift of humanity." Ozpin sighed, knowing of what the situation was, and how it was an even more extreme case of how the Faunus of Remnant would be treated.

"Exactly. I'm still unsure of what their reasoning behind hunting Hidden individuals is. It all seems like a fairy tale, if I may express my honest thoughts on the matter." Winter stated.

Ozpin thought of those two words. Fairy Tale. It seemed that many legends on Remnant could be considered a fairy tale to those who had not experienced such events themselves. "You wouldn't be the first to describe something like this as such. But I digress. This matter is, as you said, not to be taken lightly. Innocent people, whether born as animals or not are being targeted."

"General Ironwood doesn't know the full details as of yet, but I can assume with the information I gathered, that he'll have teams scouting the kingdoms for The Relentless." Winter explained.

"If I may intrude. Sending several groups through the kingdoms could entice more problems than it would solve." Ozpin stated, as he noticed Winter's confused expression. "Atlas has always been, a bit secluded, that is besides your father's company." That one was a bit of a touchy subject with Winter, not wishing to associate herself with the company Jacques had changed. "As such, simply sending teams to other kingdoms will bring a sense of distrust among those-."

"I assure you, General Ironwood would not act on a whim. He would be smart, and properly inform the other kingdoms' leaders of his intentions. He brings no hostility." Winter defended.

"Then I trust you to make sure that James does handle this properly. You may not know of this, but years ago he felt that his presence was needed in Vale… I still remember the arguments we'd have, and to this day I can't ignore the scale of his influence, Miss Schnee. Grimm are attracted to negativity, as you know. I don't believe I need to explain any further." Ozpin said with a knowing look.

Winter thought about it for a moment, and there was a possibility that Atlas presence in other kingdoms could bring worry and negative thoughts. Even her own mission had her going to Mistral, even though it was in a more secluded part of the kingdom, if anyone were to question why Atlas presence is suddenly just snooping around, it wouldn't look good.

"The General has gone through documents and keeps those informed of his actions. If a kingdom does not wish to have Atlas presence, we will respect their choice." Winter confidently stated, but Ozpin had that look in his eye that showed he wasn't too sure. "Headmaster, what is it that brings you so much distrust."

"I never said I didn't trust James," Ozpin sighed and placed his scroll down after searching for something specific. He slid the scroll across and Winter looked down at it, as her eyes widened. "Ten years ago, there was a conflict between the kingdoms of Atlas and Vacuo. It was never to be brought to the public eye, but out of practice methods were implemented by James. He believed that the borders of Vacuo should be more 'guarded' in his eyes, and he took it upon himself to send several of his teams to 'discuss' possible expansion."

Winter was shocked by this. "How has this never been spoken of before." When he remained silent, he placed his hands on the table, letting her think for a moment, and it didn't take long. "Wait, were you involved, Headmaster?"

"I've always considered James a close friend and ally, but that day strained many relationships. I made sure that nothing built up further than it was getting, and I regretted not keeping him in check those years ago, so for the sake of the kingdoms, I only ask of you to do what is right." Ozpin pleaded.

"Sir, this is more than just about sending in teams. People are being hunted." Winter reminded.

"Trust me when I say that The Relentless will be top priority, but it must be handled properly. So if General Ironwood insists upon sending several teams through the kingdoms, I will trust in you to also make sure he speaks to everyone needed before acting." Ozpin explained.

Winter knew that it would delay sending out teams, but Ozpin was right. Just sending Atlas soldiers into other kingdoms unannounced, it wouldn't sit right. "While I understand of the issue, I will also try to keep in mind of those people who are being hunted, sir." Her thoughts drifted more to Weiss, as the very real possibility of The Relentless going after her sister was a driving factor in wanting to be rid of the threat.

"You have a right to be concerned." Ozpin replied, but then stood up from his chair. "I apologize for bearing this responsibility onto you, and the threat level of The Relentless will not be ignored. I can speak with those who may be able to help."

"You don't mean Qrow… Right?" Winter knew Qrow was a well known ally to Ozpin, but the thought of the almost always drunk made her grimace.

Ozpin had an amused expression from hearing that. "There are others besides Qrow, but his skills could also be a great help."

"Or he could drink himself into a coma." Winter flatly stated, but sighed in defeat as she too stood up. "I will speak with the General of our meeting, Headmaster, but… About what you said, just because I am an Atlas Specialist, does not mean he will heed my warnings."

"James has always had good intentions, so I don't blame him. If there is any trouble, don't be afraid to contact me." He walked past her and to the door, opening it as he looked back. "As for now, I will begin working on how to handle The Relentless. I know you will do the same."

Winter took a deep breath, not knowing just how far things would get with her one mission of investigating large animal sightings.

" _This isn't just an assignment anymore."_

* * *

"Ugh… I can't sleep." Yang complained as the whole team felt the same way. Somehow staying up all night and taking a short nap just wasn't good for their sleep schedules. Even Zwei was having trouble getting some sleep. "Should we just do something instead of trying to sleep?"

Weiss was trying her hardest to just go to bed, even covering her whole body up with her blanket, but it didn't work, so she threw the covers off and sat up. "Honestly, I agree. Laying here is just starting to annoy me."

Blake wasn't all that bothered, as she was taking the time to read up on some stories she wanted to catch up on. "After a night of what we experienced, maybe you two should just try to relax a bit."

"Uh, that's what we're trying to do. Not really working as you can see." Yang said as she was ready to jump out of bed, and Blake looked to the side, seeing her jumping off and taking a moment to stretch. "Besides, it's not like I wanna train or anything. Maybe just a walk will do us good."

"I'm quite alright with this book." Blake said without looking away from said book.

Weiss watched the two, letting out a small chuckle as she looked over at her partner's bed. "What about you, Ruby? What do you feel like we should do?" After a few moments of not getting an answer, Weiss raised an eyebrow. "Ruby?"

Yang looked over, noticing her sister was sound asleep. "Oh come on! How does she fall asleep so easily?!"

Blake bopped her book against Yang's head, making her yelp as she turned to see Blake raising a finger up to her own lips. "Because she doesn't have loud older sisters yelling, oh wait."

The blonde instantly slapped her hands over her mouth, realizing she could easily wake her sister up with yelling. Weiss on the other hand let out a small smile, happy that her girlfriend was able to sleep, even if she couldn't.

Weiss thought back to the night before, wondering just how much she should talk about with her Mother, Winter, even her team. She didn't want things to drastically change, but there was no ignoring what she'd learned.

With that in mind, Weiss got out of bed and began changing out of her nightwear. "If Ruby wakes up, tell her I'll be outside." She said to the bumbleby pair, who both seemed a bit concerned for the girl, especially after the night before.

"You know we can come with you, Ice Wol… I mean, Weiss." Yang was still fighting herself on not always calling Weiss by that nickname, out of fear of bringing up painful thoughts for the girl.

Weiss appreciated her way of looking out for her, but she shook her head. "Yang, stop trying to avoid calling me that, and don't worry. I'm just going for a walk. I'll be fine, I promise."

Yang didn't look completely convinced, and the feelings she had for Weiss, while moved on from, still made her look out for the white haired girl more than most people. "A-Alright, but hey, don't forget we're here too. We don't want you dealing with this stuff alone." Blake nodded in agreement, not needing to say anything, as Weiss smiled and nodded back.

With nothing else to say, Weiss left the dorm and went outside, taking in the morning breeze, as she looked up at the clouds. "I wonder if she's ever looked at the same clouds as I have…" Weiss said of her birth mother. "To think… She could be out there…"

The thought brought a lot of different feelings to the girl. Pain, anger, joy, curiosity, resolve. She couldn't justify hating someone she's never even seen or heard of till recently. The only actions that she knows her birth mother had done was keep her safe.

" _If I ever see her… Will it even matter?"_

Weiss hated the questions, but she refused to ignore them anymore. Sadly for her, it wasn't about ignoring them that would be the reason behind not thinking of those feelings. It was the presence of a certain annoying boy.

"Hey, Schnee!" The voice was all too familiar and Weiss groaned as she turned around, seeing Cardin Winchester walking over with his mace, which made her realize he wasn't about to have just a chit-chat with her.

"What do you want, Cardin…" Weiss questioned, keeping her guard up as the boy smirked and stopped several feet in front of her.

"You think I forgot about the first day your little bodyguard team humiliated me? Oh, and would ya look at that, they don't seem to be around." Cardin said as he moved his mace up and down.

Weiss rolled her eyes. "If you're trying to be intimidating, you are utterly failing." She took a step back, not having her weapon on her, but keeping her semblance at the ready. "If you think that attacking me out here, right near Beacon is a smart idea, I can't imagine seeing how poor your grades are."

Cardin stomped a foot forward. "I expect to hear those words from a high and mighty Schnee bitch." Saying that made Weiss angry, as not only was he insulting her, he was insulting her family name, even if she wasn't born a Schnee. "You think you're better than me? Better than them?"

With that, Weiss gasped lightly and looked behind her, seeing Cardin's team walking up behind her, so she clenched her fists. "Not only are you trying to catch me without my weapon, but you're also sicking your little boy band on me… Pathetic."

The other three boys on the team looked pissed with that comment, having surrounded her at that point, but Cardin held his hand up to keep them from attacking her. "Funny, the Schnee bitch calling us pathetic. Y'know, I think I'll stick to callin ya that. Schnee Bitch, seeing as you turn into some mutt in the first place." He began to laugh, with his team joining in.

Hearing that made Weiss' heart skip a beat.

" _I don't need a mutt like you telling me what I can and can't do!"_

That was what Whitley said to her all those months ago, and the pain of it was brought back, as she took a step back, making Cardin smirk. "Look at that, a scared little mutt. Can't rely on your bodyguards now, huh?"

He motioned for the others to move in and attack her, but the moment they took one step towards her, the flash of light shined on her body, as the only word kept playing back and forth in her head.

" _Mutt, Mutt, Mutt, Mutt…."_

The four members of Team CRDL covered their eyes, almost being blinded by it as they groaned and took steps back.

As the light faded, the white wolf that was Weiss was on all fours over her clothes. The one word in her mind faded, and a new word was brought upon it.

" _Hunt."_

* * *

 **It's been awhile, I know. Was a combination of waiting till the volume ended, playing Kingdom Hearts 3 and overall just needing to take breaks more often as I am not always pumped up to write a chapter out. Other than that, this is the beginning of the next arc. Hope you all like it.**

 **To JJ- Winter took the blame mostly for her sister, and with how things will continue, her inclusion in this will be even greater. As for Raven, she herself needs to decide what is 'right' and what she believes to do. Hopefully you'll enjoy what's to come from her choices.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 119. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 120.**


	120. Get Over It

**Here's chapter 120, everyone.**

* * *

" _Is this what you wanted to with your life upon learning of your heritage? Do you feel this is the right way to move forward with your new knowledge? If there is no questioning it, then make your choice before it's too late."_

Weiss could hear the voice of Torn asking her those questions. Making her feel the anger of what others can say or do, which was only brought upon by Cardin. It hurt at first, but then she simply felt anger.

Her own voice joined Torn's, as it felt like another her was trying to speak, but only then when things were calm in her mind was she able to hear herself.

" _The Relentless have reasons for why they want to hunt us down. It happened once before, showing this anger, towards the girl you've wanted to wake up to. It's time to let go of the idea of becoming something you can't control."_

With the images of Torn and Nel in her mind, she also pictured The Relentless member, and how she wanted to so badly kill both Torn and Nel. If she lost control, she would be giving them actual reasons for hunting them down.

As that last thought left her mind, she opened her eyes, those blue orbs looking around as she could see the shock in Cardin and his team's eyes. "If you have something to say about me being a mutt, Cardin Winchester… Then say it to my real face."

Cardin took a step back, looking directly at the white wolf, who stood taller than he had last seen her use that form. Even Weiss was a bit surprised that she was taller in her wolf form, being just as tall as Cardin at that point. "W-What the hell… How did you grow…" His hands were shaking and his team felt the same amount of fear.

"There's something called growing as a person, Cardin." Weiss took a few steps toward the boy, as he himself began to back up even more so. "Something you will never understand for yourself, because you are a self-centered moron!" She growled, and Cardin felt a bit of anger boiling back up, so he raised his mace up in defense. "Are you going to strike me down? Well… Go on then. Show me what the great Cardin Winchester can do."

His team looked back and forth between each other, until they all looked to their leader, wondering what they should do. Cardin took a moment to decide, but lowered his arms and grinned. "Leave this to me, boys… The mutt thinks she can scare me, but I know it's all talk and no bite."

"Oh, trust me, I would bite, but I don't want to dirty my teeth with your blood, Winchester." Weiss said in response, and the rest of the team were shocked at the thought of being practically mauled by a wolf.

"Shut the hell up! Your threats are empty!" Cardin let his anger get the better of him, as he tried to swing his mace at Weiss, but it didn't connect, as he could only slam his mace into a glyph that formed next to Weiss, shocking him. "T-The hell is this?!"

Weiss closed her eyes for just a moment, lifting her head up to howl, as several glyphs appeared around Cardin and his team, startling them as they lifted their own weapons up in defense, since they didn't know the capabilities of the glyphs, seeing that it was the first time they saw Weiss casting them.

"I don't care about you or your team, Cardin." Weiss simply stated as she turned around to walk away, glancing at the other three members of his team, as they were too nervous about what the glyphs could do, so she moved to her clothes and tried to reach down to bite at the pile so she could bring it back with her.

"Stop standing still, you idiots! They're just stupid runes!" Cardin slammed his mace against the glyph, shattering it when he used enough strength. "They don't do anything! Now get her!"

Weiss sighed, jumping away from her clothes when Sky, Dove and Russel tried to attack her. Due to the fact that she had gotten bigger, it was a bit difficult to get used to the slower movement. Still, they weren't giving her a chance to rest, as Russel moved in with his two daggers, slashing at the white wolf, mostly going for breaking her aura, but Weiss just kept jumping back.

Cardin was the furthest away, so he figured she wouldn't focus on him. He took that chance to run in for a swing, starting from the ground and moving into an uppercut motion. With only a glimpse of seeing him charging, Weiss had to take the attack, getting hit back against a tree.

When she slammed into it from the power attack, she panted a bit, since she had used a lot of energy the night before. Still, the white wolf didn't want to rely on losing control to fight them.

Sky moved in next, bringing his halberd down for a strike, but Weiss howled again, blocking the attack with her glyph. Cardin was annoyed by her use of blocking with this unknown power.

"How the hell are you even making those?! Your semblance is being a stupid dog!" Cardin yelled, while Weiss pushed Sky back into Russel, knocking them both down, as Cardin and Dove began to move slowly against her.

Weiss got back to her paws and glared at the two boys. "I don't have to explain myself to you…"

Dove looked back at Russel and Sky, who were both getting back to their feet, while Cardin showed that his mace had an earth dust crystal in it at the moment. "Doesn't matter, cause I'm about to make sure every bone in your body breaks, so you can never come back to Beacon."

"W-Whoa, Cardin, I thought you said we'd just rough her up a bit… If we do that, we can get expelled, man." Russel expressed his concern, while Sky and Dove both looked equally worried about the possibility.

"Shut it. This bitch got on my nerves, so either step back or get ready to beat this mutt down." Cardin focused on the dust in his mace and slammed it down with both hands, aiming it right at Weiss.

The rocks and damaged ground began to spiral towards her, and the rest of the team backed up, watching the attack reach its target. Cardin smirked when he believed the attack knocked her into the ground, but when the dust settled, he saw a large pillar of rock, and on top was the white wolf, who had used a glyph to hop up top to it.

"How the hell… Ugh! You would need two semblances to even stand a chance against me!" Cardin yelled, while Weiss shook her head, confusing the boy, while the other members of his team were basically not trying to get involved, fearing expulsion.

"You really think I'm going to fight you? After everything you've done? No, I won't sink to your level… The level of a coward." Weiss said with a death glare, as Cardin just wasn't worth it to her. Of course that brought more anger in Cardin, and when he was about to bring his mace down again, Weiss casted a glyph around his mace, holding it still as Cardin was shocked by this. "Why do you hate me so much… Tell me."

Cardin struggled in trying to free his mace, but when he realized he couldn't, he glared up at her. "Cause you can't fight back! Gotta rely on your team to protect you!"

"Get over it." Weiss simply said, letting go of his weapon with her glyph, as Cardin almost dropped it from the abrupt dispel. "You acted like an idiot, and got dealt with for it. Your team seems smarter than you as well, not getting involved in this stunt of yours."

Hearing that, Cardin looked over, seeing his team had indeed backed away from the altercation, so he rolled his eyes and looked back up at Weiss. "I don't care if they act like a bunch of-." Suddenly he was pinned down by the white wolf, and with her new size, there was no way he could struggle free, having even dropped his mace as he yelled out in pain. "Gah! Get the hell off me, ya fucking mutt!"

Weiss growled at him, getting him to shut his mouth at that point, while his team stood there, fear paralyzing them as the white wolf stared right at Cardin. "You can continue calling me a mutt for however long you please, but it won't bother me anymore… Because you're just not worth the effort, Cardin."

Cardin could see the sharp teeth, as she'd growl at times, making him almost wet himself. His arms were pinned, so all he could do was look over at his team. "The hell are you waiting for?! Get her off of me! I'm your leader, so-."

Pushing a paw against his arm, Weiss growled again. "You are not a leader! A leader has to set an example for their team! Bring them together for a greater cause, but here you are, trying to abuse your leadership role, just for your own personal vendetta!" Weiss looked towards the other three. "Well? Will you follow your leader or not?"

Realizing the lengths Cardin would go, physically harming another to the point of breaking their bones, they just couldn't do it. All three put their weapons on their backs and backed away, as Cardin's eyes went wide.

Weiss sighed and started getting off of the boy, looking at his hurt expression, since he felt like his team betrayed him. "Do you still want to hurt me? Just because I'm a Schnee?"

Cardin was still on his back as he realized that she remembered the reason why he had an issue with her in the first place. "You… You don't deserve to just waltz in here thinking you're better than us!"

"Is that what you truly think? That I'd look down on people?" Weiss shook her head in disappointment. "Maybe… If the man who was to be a Father raised me, but he didn't, and I didn't end up like him, so stop trying to make me out to be someone I'm not."

"Ugh…" Cardin stood up, grabbing his mace as he had a stare down with the wolf, no team to back him up now. "Doesn't change the fact that you probably just bought your way in."

"I trained, Cardin. I may not fully understand my semblance yet, but I put in the work. And even if I were to buy my way in, as you believe, why would it bother you? You of all people who seems to do more ridiculing than anyone at Beacon." Weiss said, knowing that Cardin was a bully.

Cardin rolled his eyes. "Not my fault everyone in this school is a wimp. If they can't handle a bit of roughhousing, then they shouldn't have applied to be a hunter. You fall into that category well, mutt, seeing as you still can't actually fight me."

Weiss only needed to hear that once more, knowing full well she wasn't going to get through to the boy. "All I wanted, was to at least try to help you understand… Maybe I'm just not as good as getting to people like Ruby…" The last part she muttered to herself.

"Understand what? That you're just a weak Schnee? That you can't fight me like a real huntress?" Cardin smirked, and Weiss readied herself, surprising the boy since she had originally said she didn't wish to fight him.

"I didn't want to fight you, Cardin, but if you won't back off, then I will defend myself. And I don't just mean blocking your attacks." Weiss said with a growl, remembering the forms Torn and Nel had.

" _It's not about letting go."_

Cardin was a lost cause, someone who was a hypocrite, and the exact kind of person Weiss didn't want to become. The person who would let anger drive them to the point of having no self control, so when Cardin ran at her to try and swing his mace, Weiss charged right at him as well, biting down on the mace and ripping it from his grip, shocking both him and his team as Weiss flung the mace away.

The white wolf stared at the startled Winchester. "This is your last chance…"

With that, Cardin tried to punch at her, even managing to hit her in the face, but his punch felt weak, as her aura was still up, and took most of the damage. Weiss knew from that day, there truly were people who couldn't be reasoned with.

" _The Relentless… Thank you, Cardin. I now know why they are called that."_

Weiss responded by clawing at the boy's chest, knowing his armor would tank most of the attack, and Cardin was pushed back, but the white wolf wasn't letting him off that easy, as she slammed her entire body against him, knowing him against a tree, as she charged at the boy again, readying her teeth, as she tried to bite at him, but he yelled in fear, only for her to bite the tree he slammed into.

It only took a second to remove her teeth from the tree, as she growled, not letting up, and sprinting at the boy, since she was truly in control, and choosing to defend herself from a person who chose to be relentless.

"L-Leave me alone!" Cardin tried to run, and when he tripped, he cowered in fear, as Weiss was running right at him, but as her teeth were inches from his neck, she stopped, seeing how he couldn't defend himself anymore.

Weiss slowly backed away, as Cardin realized she wasn't attacking him, so he moved his arms from his face to see Weiss sitting. "It's over, Cardin. I'm not going to let you hurt me anymore, but I'm not going to hurt you either… So I'm done trying to reason with you. It's either continue to try hurting me, and I will fight back. Or get over yourself and finish these four years of Beacon, with both of us staying far away from each other."

Cardin didn't want to show it, but he pissed his pants in fear of Weiss actually biting down or even clawing him. "W-What the hell are you…"

"I'm a person that doesn't want someone to continue trying to hurt her. Nothing more, nothing less. I defended myself just like you would if a Grimm attacked you… So in my case, you were just as bad as a Grimm, Winchester." Weiss sighed, knowing that The Relentless would be even worse than Cardin, and if she compared the boy to the Grimm, it meant The Relentless were truly too dangerous.

"A-A Grimm? You think you can compare me to those freaks?!" Cardin yelled, but he didn't notice his team trying to help him up.

"Cardin, that's enough, man. You gotta let this crap go." Sky tried to reason with him, but all that was met was Cardin slapping his hand away and getting up.

Weiss waited to see what he'd do, as the team leader picked up his mace. The white wolf was still sitting, showing she had no plans to attack him now that he was armed, but would fight back if he made the first move.

"This doesn't change anything, Schnee… You're still a mutt, and one who just bought her way in with daddy's money." Cardin scowled.

"I don't care, Cardin." Weiss simply replied.

Cardin almost wanted to strike her, but even he knew it would result in her almost mauling him, so he put his mace on his back and pushed past his team, not wanting to hear a word from them as he stomped over to the school.

Weiss looked to the other members of his team, not saying a word, as they gave her silent apologies, hoping she wouldn't rat them out.

Russel himself even spoke up. "L-Look, we were just following orders… Cardin's our leader and all, so-."

"He may be your assigned leader, but he doesn't act like one. It's not just on a leader… It's on the team as well, so figure out how to get that meathead you call a leader to start acting like a huntsman should." Weiss suggested as she walked over to her clothes, taking a moment to decide what she wanted to even do.

Hearing what she said, the three team members scurried off inside, honestly hoping that Cardin wouldn't be pissed off with them, but they knew he would be.

The white wolf looked down at her clothes, seeing her wolf pendant on top. It made her smile, as she did her best to grab her clothes with her teeth. She looked around for a few moments, seeing the spot she loved most, near the tree she would sit under with her partner.

Once she set the clothes down, she laid down next to them, while looking at her wolf pendant.

Dealing with Cardin opened her eyes to the kind of people who live on Remnant. People like him, just can't be reasoned with, and people like The Relentless had to be stopped. She wasn't dumb. It didn't take Cardin to know that The Relentless can't just be allowed to hunt innocent people, but it did help her see that if for any reason she ended up coming face to face with a Relentless member, she wouldn't allow herself to try and reason with them.

"I never wanted this, but now that I have it… I have to remember why she gave me up in the first place."

* * *

Ruby yawned, feeling like she just had the best night's sleep she's had in awhile, but when she noticed that Yang and Blake were awake, she spoke up. "Huh, you guys are up early."

Yang groaned, since she was trying to stuff a pillow into her face. "Ugh…"

Blake noticed Ruby looked confused, so she set her book down. "We actually never went to sleep. After last night, we all sort of ruined our sleep schedules. Well, except for you apparently." Another groan from Yang was heard.

Ruby chuckled a bit and rubbed the back of her head. "I mean, I kinda just close my eyes and poof, I fall asleep pretty easily." Ruby then gasped when a pillow was thrown at her face, sending her onto her back on the bed.

"Stop making it seem so easy…" Yang complained, having been the one to throw the pillow at her sister, as she was sprawled out on her bed.

The rose girl shot up in a sitting position on her bed, pouting at her sister for throwing a pillow at her, but when she realized Weiss wasn't in the room, she seemed a bit concerned. "Where's Weiss?"

Yang sat up and stretched a bit, with a yawn and an answer to follow. "She went out for a walk. Probably trying to just clear her head after, well, y'know." Ruby didn't need to be told twice, so she got out of bed, choosing to get changed. "Hey, I told her we'd be here for her and all, but she seemed to wanna be alone, sis."

"If she does, then I'll give her all the space she needs… But I don't want to regret later that I wasn't with her when she needed me." Ruby said as she quickly got changed.

Even though she was tired, Yang did admire her sister's commitment to Weiss. "Right, but hey, don't leave me and Blake out of this if she's having any trouble. Don't forget that we're here for Ice Wolf too, sis."

Ruby smiled, nodding to her sister. "I won't forget. Thank you, Yang." She quickly left the dorm, knowing where to go.

Blake actually felt her heart pick up in pace, as she closed her book and looked over to her blonde partner. "Yang… About yesterday-."

"Before you say anything, trust me… I know." Yang sat cross legged, as she brought her hand up to her heart. "We can tell them when we're ready, if that is you want things to… Well, continue from last night."

It took a lot to get a blush from the cat Faunus, but Yang was always one to easily get her to do that, so she looked directly at her partner. "I… I needed to know what I've wanted, Yang… I still have trust issues…"

Yang didn't take that one personally. Ever since she saw the scars on Blake's leg, who could blame her. "And I'll make sure that you can trust me no matter what, even if it takes a hundred years… Cause I do want things to continue from last night, but only if YOU do too."

Blake's ears perked up, as she let out a small smile. Yang wasn't the kind of person to try and take advantage of her, and she knew that after being close to her for months. "I think I'd like that too."

The blonde brawler felt her heart skip a beat, as she got out of bed and walked over, pulling her partner into an embrace. Ever since they met, Yang had broken the barrier Blake set up, the one that made her fear the touch of another person. Knowing that barrier was gone, Yang wasn't surprised when Blake wrapped her arms around her.

* * *

 **I wanted to make it seem like she was giving in, in the last chapter, but with all she's gone through, that bit of nature in her can't get through. In a more adrenaline sense, Weiss was able to cast more glyphs here, but she'll still need more practice, so keep that in mind for future fights.**

 **To JJ- Luckily with Weiss, she was able to simply talk to herself about what she wanted to do in terms of handling that situation. As for Ironwood, I thought of how he acted in Volume 3 and seeing as he does this to protect the people, that form of history for him was used here too.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 120. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 121.**


	121. The Possibility

**Here's chapter 121, everyone.**

* * *

Winter paced back and forth, wishing she didn't have so much on her shoulders. She didn't look at her sister as a burden, neither Olivia, but overall, it was a stressful time debating on how to handle her discussion with General Ironwood. Especially after learning of the questionable decisions he's made in the past.

"Miss Winter," Klein spoke, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Would you like me to inform your sister of your talk with the Headmaster? Clearly you are concerned, so maybe if she were to know more, nothing has to be hidden."

"Hidden…" Winter sighed. "Yes, well, I can speak with her myself. There's just… More than I thought that needs to be dealt with. Nothing you need to concern yourself with Klein."

The short butler wasn't completely convinced to just drop the subject. "You were always so determined to make your way up the ranks in the Atlas Military, and seeing you here now, makes me so proud of you, Miss Winter." Klein patted her arm a few times, trying to bring her spirits up. "Even so, there is no one saying you must shoulder all of this responsibility."

Winter appreciated Klein just as much as her Mother and sister, so she gave him a thankful nod. "I know, I do, but it seems that there is more than just discovering my sister's heritage that I must work on. Even the General has… Questionable motives."

Klein was surprised to hear that. "Is that so?"

"Extreme measures for a good cause. It was what I gathered from what Ozpin spoke with me about, and since I now know of The Relentless, there's no telling what General Ironwood will try to do to stop them." Winter explained her concern and stressful obstacles she needed to deal with.

"I see," Klein took a breath and held his arms behind his back. "It's as I said, your determination on getting to a high ranking position says a lot about you. I am not saying that you are invincible, no one is, but I can say with complete confidence that you will not let it reach those extreme conditions."

Winter needed to hear that, especially from someone who raised her, so she stepped in line, right in front of the man who raised her and her sister, bowing respectfully to him. "Thank you, Klein."

Klein's eyes turned red, and he crossed his arms. "Now what is this? Bowing to me like that. You may be an Atlas Specialist, but that does not mean you bring that sorta strict nonsense with family."

Hearing that surprised Winter, seeing his personality had swapped again, so she sighed a bit, but let out a light smile, noting how he referred himself as family, because he was. "Right, I apolo-."

He jumped up and slapped the top of her head, making her cry out and cover the top of her head. "Ay, no apologizing for doing nothing wrong, missy. I didn't raise you that way. Now stop being so glum and show me that same confidence you always have had."

Winter truly respected the man, and it hurt her remembering that she yelled at him back in Mistral. She lowered her hands and nodded, but she knew it was a sort of test. Instead of saying anything, Winter brought her scroll out, sending a message directly to General Ironwood himself.

Klein smiled, his eyes returning to their normal shade. "I can assume you've sent word to General Ironwood?"

"Yes, I have plans to return to Mistral. I made a promise to search for someone, and once I return to Atlas I'll know what I can do to keep things from falling apart." Winter said with no more worry in her voice.

It brought joy to Klein to see how far Winter had come, and he couldn't wait to see how Weiss too will grow as a person. "I shall make my way back to Atlas myself, though it will be earlier than your trip back," He took a moment to think of what to say. "About your Mother-."

"It's okay, Klein. Mother is another person I can't be afraid to speak to on my own, just because of circumstances. She does know that you took Weiss and her friends to Kuroyuri though, so if she tries to place blame on you, I won't allow it." Winter swore to defend her father figure.

Klein chuckled a little. "That's quite alright. I made a choice, and will face the consequences for it. You mustn't have that on your mind. Besides, your Mother and I have shared secrets for too long, and I believe she knows just as much as I, that things would be out in the open, one way or the other."

* * *

In an unknown location, the supposed leader of The Relentless received some, less than pleasing information. Slamming her fist on the desk, she glared at the one who brought her the information. "In short, you are telling me she has either been killed or captured?!"

"I-I can't say for certain, Ma'am, but Operative Quarts has failed to report back in for several hours. Even with the range of our communicators, we have others in several kingdoms, so the chances of her being out of range is… Nearly impossible, Ma'am." The fearful Relentless member explained.

Korrina growled,as she held her arm, specifically the mark on it, as she believed that Mia went after her target instead. "Leave me. I will see to it that Operative Quarts is found, and dealt with for going against my orders."

The Relentless member bowed and quickly left her office, as Korrina yelled out in anger, swiping off several items from her desk. After the crashing sounds of her items ended, Korrina took several breaths and opened a drawer in her desk.

After rummaging through a few files, she found Mia's files, grabbing a red marker and crossing an X over it. "Whether your mission was a failure, or you disobeyed my orders, Mia… I will find you and make sure you are punished, that is, if you aren't dead already."

Groaning in anger, Korrina shoved the files back into the drawer. Her support system was still in need of improvements, but her resolve grew stronger with the knowledge of losing a valuable asset in Mia.

Taking a moment to raise two fingers up to her support system on her neck, Korrina took a deep breath, feeling the air support doing its job. She shook her head, knowing full well she wasn't ready yet, and that was truly what made her angrier than losing Mia that day.

* * *

Ruby looked on from a distance. She couldn't believe her eyes. Weiss was where she expected her to be, but she was much bigger than she was last she saw her in wolf form. "Weiss… What happened to cause this?" She softly said to herself.

She ran over to her partner, noticing she was sleeping under the tree. It made her breathe a sigh of relief, as it seemed that she was at least calm enough to sleep easily. Ruby also noticed the clothes and wolf pendant that were next to her.

" _Her pendant."_

Knowing what to do, Ruby gently grabbed it and began to slowly wrap it around Weiss' neck as best she could without actually waking up the white wolf. "Silly. What if I didn't show up and someone tried to steal it from under your nose?"

"I'd scare them off, dolt." Weiss answered, making Ruby lightly scream, even jumping back as she looked down, seeing Weiss raising her head. "Resting your eyes isn't the same as sleeping, Ruby Rose."

Ruby held her hand to her heart, feeling it racing a bit. "Sheesh! You can't just pretend to be asleep like that! What if my reflexes kicked in and I hit you?!"

Weiss rolled her eyes. "Relax, you don't even have that huge gardening tool on you, Ruby. A light punch wouldn't hurt."

"G-Gardening tool?! Crescent Rose is the greatest weapon any huntress would love to use!" Ruby pouted, crossing her arms as she glared at her partner. "And besides, I could so totally land a tough punch if I wanted to!"

"Mhmm, sure you would." Weiss slowly got up, making Ruby yelp in startlement, as it was the first time actually seeing how big she really was at that point. The white wolf looked down at her partner, since she was just a bit shorter than her, causing her to smirk. "What's wrong, Ruby? Didn't you say you could land a tough punch? Well? Go on."

Ruby blinked a few times, staring up at her partner. "This is so not fair… Go back to being your short human self!" Instantly she gasped and slapped her hands to her mouth.

Weiss growled at that. "Did you just call me short?!"

"W-What?! No! I mean… Uh, I meant short compared to how tall you are now! Yeah! That!" Ruby chuckled nervously as she was staring down an angry white wolf, who grunted and rolled her eyes again.

"You're lucky I've already had to deal with an even bigger idiot than you today, Ruby." Weiss said, sighing as she sat down, thinking about her altercation with Team CRDL.

Ruby didn't like the sound of that, and chose to drop the jokes and sat next to her partner. "Wait, what do you mean? Did someone bother you today?" She placed her palm on Weiss' fur, which helped ease her stress.

"Cardin. That meathead couldn't let go of the fact that you and Yang taught him a lesson the first day we all got to Beacon." Weiss shook her head in disappointment. "He couldn't just get over it."

"Did he hurt you?" Ruby was ready to find Cardin herself if she had to.

"Ruby, please, don't make this worse than it needs to be." Hearing that basically confirmed he hurt her in some way, though Ruby did notice she didn't look physically hurt. "A few hits here and there, but nothing serious. Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't notice the bit of ground missing over there." Weiss said as she looked over at where Cardin used his earth dust crystal.

Seeing the damage, Ruby couldn't believe Cardin would seriously use dust against her partner like that, all because of a small grudge he kept. "Weiss, I am not about to let him get away with trying to attack you."

"Going after him won't help anyone, Ruby. It'll just make it worse, and with everything that's recently happened, I really don't want that piled on it too." Weiss said as she laid down, but then realized she was wearing her wolf pendant. "My pendant…"

Ruby didn't like doing nothing against Cardin, but with how her partner was feeling, she chose to set that aside for the time being. "Yeah… I thought you'd want it on, so I wrapped it around you while I thought you were asleep."

"Right… You always do. Thank you." Weiss smiled and moved close to Ruby, gently nuzzling her a bit, as it made her girlfriend blush, so she rubbed her a few times in return.

"Weiss, about last night, I hope you still remember the promises we all made… About things not changing." Ruby reminded.

The white wolf slowly nodded, stopping her nuzzling as she looked over at Beacon. "I do, Ruby. You, Blake and Yang, Team JNPR, Klein, my sister. I know… And about that, well, what happened last night. I think I know now why those people are called relentless." Ruby waited on her partner to continue. "How Cardin acted towards me, I tried to reason with him to stop, but he wouldn't listen. Maybe it was just me being unable to get to him, but… I know now that not everyone on the planet will listen to reason, and if I somehow end up being marked-."

Ruby cut her off by grabbing onto her. "No, that isn't gonna happen cause we'll always pass it off as your semblance, so don't even say that's a possibility."

Weiss sighed, pulling away and standing up on all fours again. "Ruby, you know it's not up to us whether it happens or not… My birth Mother gave me up to keep that from happening, but look at me. I was born a wolf, so I have a semblance with it too. It's a small chance, but it can happen. You can't ignore that fact."

"I'm not ignoring anything," Ruby muttered, standing up as well. "But that doesn't mean I won't stop it from happening. I don't care what I'd have to do, Weiss. They will never mark you."

"Anything… Even kill?" Wind flew past the two, as both remained silent for a moment, while Weiss could only look into her partner's eyes, as serious as she could be about her question.

"W-What?"

Weiss looked to the ground, recounting events in her head. "During our mission with Miss Goodwitch, I told you about how I killed a Strom and bit into its neck… I killed a Grimm to protect you, Ruby, but The Relentless are people. Are you telling me to stop one from marking me, you'd kill them? Because that's not the Ruby Rose I know… Not even for a second…"

Ruby's world was spinning. She cared deeply for Weiss, even to the point of saying she loves her, but could she really take the life of another, just to stop Weiss from being marked. "I-I… I wouldn't have to kill them to stop them… I'd find another way!"

"Will you stop acting like a child!" Weiss yelled, wishing she didn't have to. "I'm not saying I'd look for them, Ruby… I just want us to be prepared for the worst, nothing more."

"I don't want the worst to happen," Ruby's voice felt a bit strained.

Weiss looked around, seeing a few students were beginning to leave the school, more than likely to get fresh air or just walk to another part of the school through another entrance. "I'd rather not make a scene, Ruby." She moved to her clothes pile. "We should get back to the dorm."

"Not until you tell me why you brought that up… I need to know what made you think that way." Ruby said without turning to face her partner, because she believed she wasn't there for her to stop those negative thoughts from invading her mind.

"It's just something I need to keep in mind, Ruby. You heard everything about me… How my birth Mother gave me up to protect me. She was a normal person like me, trying to live her life, but they found her. I know you don't want to hear it-."

"You're right, I don't." Ruby muttered, but Weiss could hear her.

Weiss' ears drooped. "This isn't easy on me either y'know."

"Of course it's not," Ruby spun around, not trying to make it seem like Weiss wasn't going through anything herself. "I don't even want you to go through this, but… You're right, it's a possibility of happening."

"And we can prepare ourselves for it… If you want to shoulder that with me." Weiss said, while knowing Ruby would, also not wanting to drag her loved ones through it.

Ruby crossed her arms. "Like I'd ever let you go through it alone."

"I figured that be your answer," Weiss smiled, letting her tail sway back and forth. "Ruby, I think maybe it's time we get back inside, and focus on Beacon-."

"To become huntresses." Ruby finished her sentence. "Hey, um, about your birth Mother, do you ever want to find her?"

Weiss knew Ruby would ask that at one point, so she had an answer prepared. "Honestly, when I told Torn not to tell her about me if he ever saw her again, it was just the adrenaline of the situation," She looked up at the clouds again. "I think I'd like to meet her. To get to know the person who chose to protect me."

Ruby stayed silent, feeling bad for all the things Weiss had to have on her mind.

"It's okay to not know what to say, Ruby." Weiss said, still looking up at the clouds. "I don't know if she's even alive, but if there's any chance she is, I hope I can tell her that I ended up with a good home."

"Weiss," Ruby moved closer and gently rubbed her back, wishing she could say more.

"Come on, let's get inside." Weiss said as she was about to grab her clothes with her teeth, but Ruby stopped her, choosing to pick up the clothing for her. "Right, I shouldn't be surprised." Her tail swayed back and forth, as she and her partner made their way back into Beacon.

* * *

 **Not much to say here, though I am glad to update this again more often.**

 **To JJ- I'm really glad you enjoyed that chapter. Cardin was an idiot for trying to attack another student, but hey, at least because of the situation, Weiss was able to learn something from it.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 121. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 122.**


	122. What To Do

**Here's chapter 122, everyone.**

* * *

"Finally, you decided to come back. Seemed like you were out longer for just a walk, dontcha think, Ice… Whoa..." Yang asked when she heard the door opening, seeing the now larger sized white wolf.

Weiss rolled her eyes. "Can you seriously not make a big deal out of this. I didn't want to change outside where people could see me, you oaf."

Yang blinked a few times, unsure of how to respond to one of her best friends being large enough to carry her around on her back. "Uhhhhh, I'll just let Blake handle this one."

"There's nothing to handle here." Blake chimed in, looking over at the white wolf. "You just grew a little more is all. It's kind of expected with how much we've learned recently."

The white wolf nodded, asking the others to politely look away. She then used her power and changed into her human form, grabbing the clothes from the bed where Ruby left them and got dressed within minutes.

"You're good to turn around." Weiss said to her three teammates, while Ruby had on a light blush, since she always worried about walking in on Weiss using her shapeshifting power. "Ruby, seriously?"

"W-What? I wasn't looking, I swear!" Ruby cried out, while her older sister snickered at her embarrassment. "Shut up, Yang!"

Weiss groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. "My goodness, can you try to act your age for just a day?"

Yang sat back on her bed, grinning at her little sister. "Ruby acting her age? Only way you'd get her to do that is with a promise of the next cover of the Remnant's Armory magazine."

"Can we all just start focusing on more important matters?" Blake suggested, looking to Weiss after saying that. "We're back at Beacon, but after last night, I was wondering what you'd want to do."

"What I'd want to do?" Weiss was clearly unsure of what she meant.

"Are we just going to ignore this Hidden and Relentless situation? It doesn't seem that different from the White Fang if I'm being honest… And… You know about that." Blake reminded.

Weiss never liked remembering Blake was part of the White Fang. It was just after learning she wasn't born a Schnee that Blake even told her. The amount of hidden truths she had to learn, well, it was taking a huge toll on her. "Yes, I do, but Blake, I honestly don't know how to answer your question." Blake's ears perked up. "What am I really suppose to do? It's not like we should go looking for a fight with The Relentless, though, if the worst happens, I'm not going to let them make the first move."

Ruby winced a bit, not wanting that to be brought up so soon.

"I'm sorry," Blake's ears drooped. "I was just wondering how we should approach things."

Yang cut in at that point. "Hey, come on now, we don't need to worry about anything. Weiss will be able to keep herself from being found out by those jerks. So we don't have to get involved at all here."

"You know that's not what I meant." Blake replied, sighing a bit. "Weiss, do you even want to know more about your Mother?"

"Blake," Ruby warned.

Weiss held one arm, nodding at her question. "I do, yes, but I can't just forget about why I'm here at Beacon. Dropping everything just to search for one person on the planet, who I don't even know is alive or not… I can't, Blake."

The blonde brawler was a bit confused on why Blake of all people brought it up. "Where's this coming from, Blake?"

Blake's ears twitched again, as she brought out her scroll, going through the small list of contacts she had, right until she got to her Mother's number, and showed it to Weiss. "It was because of you that I made contact with my parents again… I just wanted to show you that I'll help you find a way to contact your own Mother too."

Ruby and Yang were surprised by that, while Weiss felt her heart skip a beat at the real possibility of her friends helping her find her birth Mother. "Blake," Weiss let out a few light chuckles, confusing the other three girls. "I really do appreciate the sentiment, and I'm glad you spoke with your parents, but… This is a bit of a different situation, and it's okay that we just try and focus on Beacon."

"Even if it's different, don't you at least want to try?" Blake questioned.

"Maybe one day, but not now, not when it gets in the way of our time here. Because I know you dolts will end up skipping out on school to help me… Which I truly am grateful for, but if I can be realistic, that just can't happen all the time." Weiss explained, and while it hurt to say, she herself would rather not commit her life to finding one person over the dreams she's strived for.

Ruby placed her hand on her partner's shoulder. "Maybe we can ask someone else to look for her instead? That way we won't have to skip out on school."

"I guess that can be an option," Weiss then flailed her arms a bit, trying to get back on track. "Ugh, that's beside the point. Look, let's just drop it okay… Please?"

The others backed off, not wanting to bring on an argument that wasn't needed. Weiss got back into bed after that, letting the others know that she'd try to get some actual rest. Ruby was a bit hesitant on whether she should say anything, while Blake and Yang decided that they themselves should try to catch up on the sleep they missed.

When Ruby looked around the room to see her team was attempting to sleep, she quietly sighed and got into her own bed, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

" _Maybe Mom can help find Weiss' mom. I gotta ask her without Weiss knowing so she doesn't get stressed out."_

* * *

"Are you ready to go, Miss Winter?" Klein inquired, as he and the Atlas Specialist were finished packing up what little they had with them.

"I will be, once I speak with Weiss." Winter pulled her scroll out of her pocket and began contacting her little sister. After a few moments of ringing, Winter was met with a groaning whine. "Good morning to you too, little sister."

Another groan was heard from the other line, as Weiss spoke. "I was this close to finally getting some sleep… This close, Winter."

Winter couldn't help but let out a small laugh. "I apologize for waking you, but I wanted you to know that I will be leaving here in a moment. My mission is still active, and I plan on returning to Mistral."

It took a few moments, with Winter hearing a bit of movement from the other line. "Should I meet you by your airship?"

"There's no need. I have a feeling I'll be back here in the coming weeks. There's a lot I can't say about, but I can at least suggest you prepare to speak with Mother about this, Weiss. I know you're trying to become a huntress, and focusing on your studies is what I expect of you, but this can't be left alone." Winter stated.

"I know… I'll send word to Mother about coming over to Beacon so we can properly talk things out." Weiss assured.

"Good. I promise, everything will start getting better again." Winter vowed, not wanting her little sister to continue going through identity crisis after identity crisis.

While Winter couldn't see her do it, Weiss moved her hand up to her wolf pendant, holding it tight. "Thank you, Winter. I love you, and have a safe flight."

"I love you too, little sister. Oh, and before I forget, don't think I'm just letting you off easy with sneaking your way all the way to Mistral." When Winter said that, she could hear her sister gulp in response. "The next sparring match you and I have, I expect you to slay at least thirty of my summons, or I'll have to train you even harder than I thought."

The thought of that drained a bit of color from Weiss' face, as sometimes at home, Winter's training was grueling, and overall not a fun time. "Y-Yes, Ma'am."

With that, Winter ended the call with a smirk, while Klein looked a bit concerned. "Do you really believe that was fair of you to bring on a punishment like that, Miss Winter? If anything, I should be the one taking responsibility for flying her there."

"Klein, Weiss asked you for help because she knows you care deeply, and no that doesn't mean she wanted to use you. She simply wanted to help her friends, but that does not mean she can go across Kingdoms for that." Winter explained.

"Hmm…" Klein felt guilty about it, but he knew Winter wouldn't punish her sister that badly, at least he hoped she wouldn't.

* * *

"Huh?" Willow opened her eyes, waking up with a yawn and a stretch of her arm, as she sat up in bed and looked around the cabin. "Raven? Where did she go?" Getting out of bed, the white haired woman walked up to the fridge kept in the cabin.

It seemed even more stocked than it was the night before. Willow figured that Raven must have woken up earlier and went into town to bring back supplies. She closed the fridge and looked out one of the windows, seeing Raven sitting on a tree stump, as she had a small fire for warmth.

Seeing her like that, Willow decided on joining her, so she got her coat, pants and boots on. Once she closed the door behind her, Raven looked over her shoulder. "Finally awake, huh?"

Willow rolled her eyes playfully and sat on a log across from Raven. "How many hours ago did you go into town? And why didn't you wake me?"

"It's only been about two hours, and with the night you had, I'm pretty sure you should be thanking me for letting you get more sleep." Raven said while keeping her blade over her legs in a horizontal position.

"Do you always have to sound like an ass when trying to be nice?" Willow questioned as she gave her a glare.

Raven shrugged while setting her sheathed blade on the snow. "You've been around me long enough to not complain much about the little things." She then sighed. "Still, how are you holding up?"

"No one died, Raven… I just… I needed to get away for a bit is all. So yes, I am thankful that you let me rest a bit longer." Willow dropped her arms, thinking about her children, both situations taking huge tolls on her.

"You can talk about it if you'd like. You said it before yourself. We're not teenagers." Raven said in a serious tone.

"Could've fooled me," Willow quietly remarked, but shook her head right after. "No, no, you're right. It's just not easy having to speak about it. About my friend…"

Raven stayed silent, hoping Willow would catch on that she was ready to listen.

"Would… Would you be able to find someone? I mean, you're a huntress, and I know you hunt Grimm, but… Maybe you can find a missing person too?" Willow asked, as the question was always on her mind.

The black haired huntress tensed up at that. She wasn't an idiot, she knew Willow meant Lazuria. "I'm, well, I'm not exactly sure it would be as easy as you think it is. There's a lot of people on this planet, and-."

"Not a lot of people fit the bill of having white hair and blue eyes. You can even leave out any of my family, since she's not a Schnee… Please, Raven… There has to be some chance at finding-."

"Willow," Raven interrupted, sighing to herself. "I can't promise you I'd be able to find this person, even with those distinctive traits. And you need to remember that I'm a huntress. I have missions that come up."

Hearing the tone Raven was using caused Willow to lower her head in defeat. "W-What about other hunters? If not you, then maybe-."

Raven had gotten up and knelt next to Willow in the time she was speaking, keeping her hand on her shoulder. "It's not needed. If this is something you really want, then I'll take it up as a mission, then at least it can be considered official huntress business."

Willow's eyes widened, perking up as she lifted her head to meet Raven's eyes. "Are you serious?"

"When am I not?" Raven patted her shoulder a few times and stood up. "But, I do have to warn you, I don't come cheap, and seeing as you're the wife of the biggest dust company's CEO… I expect more than a few lien between friends."

Hearing that made the white haired instantly shoot out of her seat. "Are you trying to extort me, Branwen? And friends?"

Raven realized her mistake, taking a step back as she saw the woman seething. "H-Hey, hold on now, I was just joking… Look, you don't have to pay me anything, and-."

Willow slapped the back of Raven's head, and watched as the usually calm huntress went to grab at where she was hit, groaning a bit, and while she was distracted, Willow nonchalantly pulled out from her pocket a starting fee.

"Here, an incentive for the ever so gracious Raven Branwen." Willow said as she pushed about one thousand lien into Raven's chest, startling her as she moved her hands down to see what it was.

"W-What, I was just joking about the money, Willow… This is a bit more than I expected," Raven blinked a few times, then a thought came to her. "Wait, why do you have this much money on you… In bills?"

Willow rolled her eyes. "It's called having money set aside for a rainy day. Besides, that's just some of the money I took from Jacques' card."

Raven looked at the bills, shrugging as she pocketed the lien."Keep that up and maybe I'll speed up the process of getting you away from that moron myself."

"What? Pay you? I am no cheap whore, Raven Branwen." Willow said with her trademark death glare that most Schnees had.

"Sheesh, will you stop saying stupid crap, Schnee. I meant not giving a shit about whether he'd be pissed about you stealing from him or not." Raven reiterated.

"Ha! Steal from him? That man stole my Father's company. If anything, those bills I gave you are strictly mine. I simply withdrew what is mine." Willow grinned.

Raven felt a bit proud of the woman, nodding to her words. "Well if that's the case, we'll have to reclaim that manor of yours back one day too, since it is yours after all."

"One day… Yes, but… Raven, will you really try to look for her… Lazuria?" Willow had gotten back to a more serious tone.

There was no hesitation. "Yes. I won't make an empty promise by saying I will find her, but I can at least tell you that I'll try. So try to understand the possibility of me not being able to find her."

Willow raised her hand to her heart, taking a deep breath as she nodded. "I understand," She walked up to Raven, leaning on her as the black haired huntress wrapped an arm around her. "Thank you."

Raven moved her hand to the back of Willow's head, holding it softly as she thought of how she could keep that promise.

" _I guess I have made my choice."_

* * *

 **I missed going back and forth between the character scenes, especially with Willow's side of things.**

 **To JJ- I don't want to make promises on keeping up a schedule, but at the moment I am enjoying writing this again. Glad you enjoyed the little back and forth with Klein and Winter. As for Ruby, well, yeah, she is younger than the others, and while age can't always be the reason for ignorance, she does try to look at things like Summer, where you can solve a problem without taking a life.**

 **To Dom- Thank you. I'm just glad those continuing to read this story are still enjoying it. That's one of the reasons I try to keep writing.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 122. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 123.**


	123. Lost Love

**Here's chapter 123, everyone.**

* * *

"Hey, Jaune!" Ruby called over the blonde team leader as she was running over to him. "How's the others doing after, uh, well, the other day?"

Jaune was in the middle of just getting out of class, so he almost fell on his ass, but luckily Ruby caught him by the arm before he fell. "R-Ruby, you seriously gotta do that…"

Ruby giggled a few times as she let go of the boy's arm. "Sorry, just wanted to catch you before our next class. Still, the others are okay, right?"

"Huh? Oh, well, yeah, it's not like we got hurt too bad." Jaune tried not speaking too loud as they walked down the hall, both in their school uniforms of course. "Besides that, Ren and Nora are doing a lot better about their hometown."

"Good," Ruby smiled, happy that her choice to go with them to Kuroyuri ended up helping them. "I know it sounds a bit selfish, but I was hoping I caught you in time." She noticed the boy gave her a questioning look. "So, the other day I was thinking about asking my Mom for some help, but… I still can't decide if I really should or not."

"Wait, what kind of help?" Jaune asked.

Ruby sighed, pulling him to the side. She then made sure no one was listening in, so she whispered to the boy. "It's about Weiss' Mom, her birth Mom."

Jaune's eyes widened, taking a step back. "Whoa, Ruby, I thought we wouldn't bring that stuff up around other people."

"I know… But it's okay. No one's around." Ruby said, looking back and forth one more time to make sure. "And I needed to find a time when Weiss isn't around to talk about this."

"Hold up, why wouldn't Weiss of all people want to hear about this? Ruby, you're not making sense." Jaune remarked, and the rose girl groaned.

"Just let me explain," Ruby took a deep breath. "Weiss doesn't want us to get involved in finding out if her birth Mom still around, so if I told her what I want to do, she'd never let me even try."

Jaune was being careful too, moving over to a corner and looking down the hall, seeing several students talking by their lockers, but they were far enough away to not listen in. Once he checked, he moved back to Ruby. "Okay, and what are you trying to do exactly?"

"Weiss doesn't want us skipping out on classes to look for her Mom, so if not us, then I was thinking of asking my Mom if she could." Ruby explained, which confused Jaune more, since he didn't understand why Weiss would be against that. "Thing is, I don't know if I wanna just tell my Mom to look for her behind Weiss' back… But if I tell Weiss, then she'll just start getting hopeful about it," Her expression became much more somber. "I don't want her to end up being heartbroken if my Mom doesn't end up finding her."

"Oh," Jaune understood, rubbing the back of his head. "I guess that is a tough call, but why come to me about it? I'm not sure I can help out."

"I just… I wanted an opinion, and I really trust your opinion a lot, Jaune." Ruby said with a friendly smile. "I mean, we are both the leaders of our time after all. We kinda know about looking out for our team, so we won't fail them."

Jaune was taken aback, not expecting that for even a second. "Ruby, I… I still don't even know how I became leader of my team… Are you sure you really want my opinion? I mean, Pyrrha is-."

"If I wanted Pyrrha's opinion, I would've went to her. It's your opinion I want for this, Jaune." Ruby said, her tone taken a serious route.

The blonde leader realized Ruby wasn't messing with him, so he took a few moments to think about the situation at hand. "If you really want my opinion… I think you should be completely honest with Weiss. Not only is she your partner, but you're both dating." He had a softer expression, showing he was completely supportive of their relationship. "Trust between partners is important… So even if she does end up getting her hopes up, you can be there for her if things don't end up working out, and you'll be happier knowing that you were honest with her from the start."

Ruby felt her worrying heart calm down, and even with the possibility of Weiss ending up being sad if her birth Mother isn't found, Jaune was right. She'd be there for her if and when that happens. "Trust," Ruby repeated the word, as she smiled and hugged the boy. "Thank you, Jaune. I really appreciate this."

Jaune was surprised by the hug, patting her back a few times before pulling away with a nervous laugh. "Right, uh, well, I'd rather not have Weiss or Pyrrha catch me hugging you. Might put off the wrong idea, yknow?"

"Huh? Wait, why wouldn't you want Pyrrha to… Ohhhhhh." Ruby noticed the boy's face turning red, as she snickered a few times.

"D-Don't laugh! And… Look, I gotta get to class!" Jaune zipped off, as Ruby was giggling to herself, watching the boy running off before he could say anything else that would embarrass him.

As he ended up rounding a corner, Ruby's laughter died down and she sighed happily. "Thanks, Jaune."

* * *

"Willow," Jacques greeted as he was waiting for his wife to return from wherever she would go off to for the day. "I believe you left-." He couldn't finish his sentence, as his wife walked past him, making him sigh, so he turned on his feet, calling out to her. "You know this silence is unbecoming of a woman. Acting out will not just-."

Just as before, Willow ended up interrupting him by spinning around on her boots. "I have nothing to say to you, Jacques, so if you have something to spout about, go ahead so I can get on with the rest of my day."

"E-Excuse me, but if you truly are going to act in such a way, how do you expect to speak with any human being?" Jacques angrily questioned, as his wife crossed her arms.

"I am not 'acting out', as you claim. I've simply decided to not deal with your attitude any longer. You've lived a life of just using me, and I'm tired of it, so excuse me if I'd rather not speak to the man who claimed to have loved me, just to end up being a lie!" Willow yelled, but did her best to keep her composure.

Jacques almost yelled back, but the image of her kissing him, and how she said she felt nothing kept him from doing so. "You have no idea what lengths I have gone through, the obstacles I had come across, just to give this family a wealthy life. Paperwork, sleepless nights, meetings with the worst people-."

"You're one of them." Willow said without hesitation, and that hit Jacques hard.

"Instead of speaking out, you should be thankful to me. I've given our children a home with everything they'd ever need, and even they wish to just go and waste their lives." Jacques spat out.

Willow rolled her eyes. "The fact that you don't even think before speaking says a lot on why I shouldn't even bother, but fine, let me say what your mistake there was." Jacques chose to wait on her to continue. "You may have given us a large home and all the money in the world, but that means nothing when you try to rip their freedom away, their choices in life. Do you even care to know what Winter and Weiss are doing?"

Jacques almost spoke, but then realized he didn't know how to respond. Ever since Winter had went to join the Atlas Military, he cared not for what she did, and with Weiss, he never even considered her a daughter.

"Nothing to say, huh?" Willow let out a single laugh, turning away as she began to walk.

Not moments later, Jacques quickly caught up to her and grabbed her arm, though not forcefully. "I was not done speaking to you."

Willow yanked her arm away and glared at her husband. "Don't you dare try to lay a finger on me again, or I swear I won't hold back with self defense, Jacques. Don't test me."

"Ugh, that barbaric thing you call a semblance? You truly have forgotten the good I've done. Fine, yes, I do not exactly show interest in what those two do, but it is only because there is no need for it all."He spread his arms out, trying to show off what his wealth gained him. "This is all they need. The best protection in all of Remnant, and no one to look down upon them. They could live like royalty."

"I can't believe you still won't listen... " Willow softly muttered, shaking her head in disappointment. "That is YOUR ideal life for them, not their own life. Until you realize that, you cannot call yourself a Father."

Lowering his arms, Jacques angrily clenched his fists. "Why are you being so difficult?! I have tried my hardest to-."

"Stop. Stop before you up and repeat yourself, because I will say this once more." Willow calmly spoke after. "My children, me, none of us want to be told how to live. So if you really want us to be happy, you will stop treating yourself as a king, and try acting like a husband and a Father should."

"And who are you to dictate how a husband and Father should act? You are one person who can't seem to know what happiness is!" Jacques yelled out. "Don't think I forgot the day you brought HER here. Such nonsense, and yet I allowed you to keep her. Did I not?"

Willow sighed. "Yes, you did let me keep my little Weiss, but only because back then… You had a bit of a heart, now… Now it's just emptiness, all because you truly believe you are some kind of king."

"Enough. Just… Enough." Jacques took a breath. "I thought I could talk some sense into you. To show you that your outbursts have been for nothing, but if you won't be grateful and remember the good I've done for you-."

"Oh don't you play that card with me. I completely appreciate the man who allowed me to take in the child I brought home. I even appreciate the man who gave my children a roof above their head, but I do not appreciate the oppressor standing in front of me." Willow remarked, and both stood still, silent while waiting on the other to make a move.

Jacques fixed up his tie a bit. "I see. Well, then I suppose this so called oppressor should continue to give their son a life to look forward to. Good day to you, Willow."

As he walked past her, Willow felt time slow down, and she could picture the man she fell in love with so long ago disappearing with the Jacques she knew now. "I will not allow you to poison our son with your sense of life."

Hearing that, Jacques stopped and rolled his eyes. "You do not have a say in what I will help my son-." With a single chime heard, Jacques felt his body was restrained by what looked to be a rune.

"Our son, and I damn well do have a say." Willow said holding her hand out to the man, who was struggling to get out.

"What is the meaning of this?! Release me right this instant!" Jacques demanded while still trying to get out of the grip of the rune, which was around his waist and constricting his arms. "Willow!"

Willow kept the binding. "I felt the you I loved… The man who stole my heart die. DO YOU KNOW HOW THAT FEELS?!"

Jacques was taken aback by the volume her voice was raised to, as he stopped struggling to stare at her, as she had a look of anger, but it was followed on with tears.

"You don't understand me, our children, or anybody! Have you no heart, Jacques Gele?!" Willow screamed, which caught the attention of several of those who worked in the manor.

The only ones who responded to those yells though, were the guards. "Ma'am, what's going-." He stopped himself when he saw the scene in front of him.

Jacques and Willow were silent, with Willow waiting to see how Jacques would handle the situation they were in. "Leave us. Now." Jacques ordered the confused guard, who didn't move at first. "I said leave us be! This is a matter between my wife and I. And if I find you speaking of this, I will have you fired and blacklisted all over Remnant."

The guard felt his heart rate quicken, so he backed off and left the room. Willow herself decided to release the man from her grasp. "A matter between us."

"Repeat yourself." Jacques requested, and his voice was showing that he truly wasn't demanding her to.

"The man I loved. I felt him die, Jacques. I felt him die, and I don't think I'll ever see that man again." Willow somberly remarked, feeling the pain in her heart growing, but she stayed strong. "Or, was that man a facade the whole time?"

"Do you even remember those days? Do they matter that much to you?" Jacques questioned.

Willow brought her hand up to her chest. "They do, because even with all the horrible things you've done, to your own family, to the Faunus, to anyone who works for you… You were apart of my life and once upon a time made me happy. You even started a family with me… And I will never regret having them with you…"

"Those were times long gone, Willow. You shouldn't be so ignorant to reality." Jacques coldly replied.

"You asked me if they mattered, and I gave you my answer. Saying those times are now long gone is how you feel, but back then… Do you even remember the way you felt? Or did you discard that too along with your heart?" Willow's voice was filled with pain, but she thought of Raven, and she was able to help keep her strong throughout their conversation.

"There was a day, where you were out with me looking for a dress you really wanted… No store in Atlas had it, yet you kept trying. Almost like it was a one of a kind gem." Willow stayed quiet. "I still remember how hurt you were, when you finally gave up on searching."

Willow thought about the dress, how minuscule it was at this point in her life, but back then it was something she truly wanted. She blamed her younger views on materialistic things like that on why she wanted it so bad.

"You found out it was because it was in fact a one of a kind dress. And yet, you not once thought of using your family's money to simply just buy it off." Jacques continued recounting. "I decided that instead of buying it, I'd have a version made just for you… Something you can call your one of a kind… Do you remember how happy you were because I did that for you?"

She couldn't deny how happy she was that Jacques would do such a thing for her. Willow remembered how grateful she was, and it wasn't because he got her something she wanted. It was because he went out of his way to make it special for her.

"I do… I do remember that." Willow answered.

"That was the day that I knew, I was able to make you happy, because I decided to use a resource instead of just sitting around." Jacques stated.

"No." Willow didn't hesitate. "It wasn't the dress that made me happy… It was you. You taking an extra step, just to see me smile… That was the happiest you could ever make me. Not flaunt your money and buy me a castle…"

Jacques bit his lip. "What more could you want than being at the top of Atlas, as a Queen?"

"I didn't want to be a Queen. I wanted to be your wife…" Willow refused to say more, slowly walking past her husband, both not saying anything else, as that was the time that Jacques did not make another move, and stayed still, standing silent, and truly alone.

* * *

 **I want to just bring this up now for this chapter specifically. Clearly this far in, characters are different from the show. Why? Because I find it boring to straight up just have them be exactly one hundred percent the same in an AU story. Does that mean you should feel bad for Jacques here? That I leave up to you.**

 **To JJ- The teasing in that chapter was fun to have in, since the more recent chapters have dealt with some serious moments. Need some lighthearted stuff to balance it out. Thank you for understanding why I don't want to make false promises too.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 123. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 124.**


	124. Howl

**Here's chapter 124, everyone.**

* * *

"Blake, do you have a moment?" Weiss asked as she had Myrtenaster with her, while Blake herself was in the middle of her walking back to the dorm, since classes were done for the day.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah I can spare a bit of time." Blake said, noticing the sword on Weiss' hip. "I'm gonna take a guess and say you want to do a bit of training?"

Weiss nodded. "It's more on not wanting to rely on Ruby for my training. And no, I don't want you thinking I'd rely on you for this." She rested her hand on Myrtenaster. "I simply wish to expand on my skills with an opponent that doesn't fight with an oversized gardening tool."

Blake chuckled a bit. "I doubt Ruby would like you calling Crescent Rose that."

"Oh please, I called it that the other day… Though I would appreciate you not telling her I called it that again. She got way too defensive about it." Weiss said in response.

"I'd rather not be the one to say it anyways, but sure, we can do a bit of sparring. Just not for too long. I have, well, I wanted to talk with my parents again." Blake admitted, bringing a smile to Weiss' face.

"That's great. Maybe we can meet them through video call? T-That is if you'd be okay with that of course." Weiss didn't want to sound pushy.

Blake's ears twitched under her bow, as she thought about introducing the team to her parents before. "I don't see a problem with that, but… Um, I do need to warn you about my dad. He's a bit, uh, not that happy about things your dad… I mean, Jacques has done."

Weiss instantly felt a drop in her mood, sighing to herself as she rubbed her arm. "I guess I can't blame your Father for feeling that way."

"I'll talk to him about it." Blake assured.

"Right… Well, anyways, we should go get changed so we can train." Weiss didn't say it, but her facial expressions and her voice was all that was needed to show she wasn't all that fond of hearing about Jacques.

Blake's cat ears drooped under the bow, since she felt guilty bringing up the concern. Without saying a word, she followed behind Weiss.

A few minutes of walking past, and Weiss had realized that Blake was keeping quiet, so she sighed and stopped walking. "You know you shouldn't just stop talking altogether, Blake. I already told you I don't blame your Father for how he may feel."

"I know, but I shouldn't have brought that up." Blake admitted to feeling guilty.

Weiss rolled her eyes. "It's a valid concern, and honestly, if I just showed up on the video feed and he saw me, he would be able to tell that I'm a Schnee. Giving me the warning was honestly for the best."

"Why are you so forgiving of the thought of being blamed for his choices?" Blake asked, in reference to Jacques.

"I am not forgiving, Blake. I hate that people would try and lump me with the way he's tarnished my family's name… But this is your Father, so I can't just be angry with him." Weiss stated.

Blake shook her head, more out of disgust for how the world worked at times. "I guess we both know a bit about being judged unfairly."

Weiss frowned. "I can't say I know it on that level, Blake. It wouldn't exactly be right to-."

"We don't need to compare things like that. I'm just saying I get it." Blake reiterated.

"I… Suppose I get it too then." The two silently agreed to leave it at that, and had quickly went to their dorm, changing into normal attire and then making their way to the training room.

* * *

Once there, Weiss remembered one crucial thing that Ruby would do for her during training, and it made her blush heavily. "Ugh… I can't believe I forgot…" Blake's ears perked up, having heard her, as Weiss walked over. "B-Blake, you know of when I transform, right?"

"Yeah, it's a flash of light and, uh, well, you become a wolf. Not that hard to understand really." Blake said, unclear of why Weiss seemed so nervous.

"Um, well, you also know my clothes falls off when I transform." Weiss said quietly, her blush growing redder, as Blake's ears perked up again.

"Uh, yeah? But that shouldn't be a problem. You'd just change back without me looking." Blake assured her that she'd respect her privacy.

Weiss shuffled her feet a bit. "R-Right, but Ruby tends to gather my clothes for me, and even wraps my pendant around me, so… Would you be okay doing that too?"

Blake let out a small smile and chuckled lightly. "You're really nervous for that? I thought you were about to tell me a deep dark secret, Weiss."

"It's not funny! I… Ugh, I end up being naked when I transform, and maybe I've grown used to Ruby being the one to help me with my clothes is all…" Weiss pouted, and Blake chuckled lightly again.

"Hey, relax, I'm not about to make fun of you or anything. I get what you mean. You have a lot of trust in Ruby-."

Weiss had to interrupt. "I trust you too, Blake."

"I know, but I was just trying to say that Ruby is your number one for this kind of thing, but maybe you can learn to let all of us help you with this. I mean, you did help me in talking with my parents after all." Blake reminded.

"I-It's just so annoying." Weiss complained.

The black cat rubbed her arm a few times. "I can see why, but hey, the more comfortable you get around us about it, the easier it will be on you later on."

Weiss took a moment to take in her reasoning, and groaned, since she knew it was sound reasoning. "I suppose you're right, but I swear if any of you ever try to hide my clothes from me during those situations, I will shred every outfit you own."

"Noted." Blake smiled, not taking the threat to seriously, seeing as she wasn't one to mess with people like that.

"Good… Um, anyways, I don't believe I will up and become a wolf yet. Would you be okay training with semblances? I wish to fight someone who is also using their semblance." Weiss said as she grabbed onto Myrtenaster.

Blake pulled out Gambol Shroud and nodded. "Easy enough. Have you had practice with your glyphs?"

Weiss nodded. "Casting is getting easier, and it doesn't take as much of a toll on my aura as it did when I first started using them. Oh, and I've kept an eye on how you use your shadows, so don't think you can trick me, Belladonna."

"Seems a bit unfair that you know more about my semblance than I do yours, but I won't complain." Blake smirked.

"Oh please, you know as well as I do that is only because I recently discovered my semblance. Being able to know our semblances on the team is very important after all, so I'm sure you've taken a few notes on my wolf abilities." Weiss smirked back as she held a stance.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't." Blake took her own stance, and after the two waited a few moments, they both sprung into action.

Weiss didn't waste energy casting her glyphs yet, as they both clashed blades. Weiss had Myrtenaster in rapier form, due to her being in human form. Blake was pushing back, trying to gain the upper hand in physical strength, since overall she had more than Weiss in that aspect. Feeling the pressure of being pushed back, Weiss jumped back and casted her first glyph.

It was an attempt to grab at Blake's arm, like how she used her glyph to hold Cardin's weapon a few days ago. Blake wasn't too concerned, as the moment her arm was binded, she used her semblance and a shadowy mist of her was in her place, as she jumped in the air, knowing Weiss would have to block since she had to let go of her focus on the glyph.

Just as Blake landed down, she slashed Gambol Shroud at Weiss, with the white haired girl taking the blocking approach. "Ugh, always keeping the pressure up. I'm a bit surprised honestly."

"No offense, but I do know it takes concentration for you to use your glyphs. The moment someone figures that out, they'll exploit that." Blake said, almost like she was trying to teach Weiss of the flaw.

Weiss grunted at that, taking note of what she said, as she surprised Blake by pushing back and knocking her a bit away. Blake was open for an attack, and as Weiss stuck, Blake ducked from getting hit, and Weiss sidestepped from the attempted counter hit.

Both girls weren't ready to use dust at that point, as it was more training their melee abilities in combat, learning to conserve the dust they had, and to better themselves if they ever ran out of dust in battle.

Neither of them said a word, as Weiss tried to summon a glyph without raising her hand or fingers. She remembered she did it before as a wolf, and if she could do so as a wolf, she figured she could as a human no problem.

Blake heard the chime of the glyph behind her, but noticed Weiss hadn't raised her hand, so she gasped and turned, thinking it was a glyph that would push her back, but that gave Weiss the opening she wanted.

When she rushed up to Blake, she jabbed at her several times with her rapier, causing Blake to wince in pain from the quick hits. It didn't last long though, as Blake had no intention of just letting her continue the attack, so she unsheathed her blade, going into her dual wielding style, having cross slashed at Weiss when she unsheathed it.

Weiss didn't have the chance to move back or block, so her aura took a hit from the cross slash Blake delivered. She didn't have a tracker for her aura, so Weiss had to be careful. Out of the whole team, her aura was the weakest, and she knew that.

" _I can't take too many hits…"_

Thinking fast, Weiss did a backflip, trusting in her semblance, as a glyph had ended up forming right where she would land in the air. She was taking a gamble, but when she felt that she wasn't falling, Weiss looked down, seeing her body was staying still on the glyph. "I-It worked."

Weiss quickly refocused on the fight, using the propelling qualities of the glyph to launch herself right at Blake, who gasped but at least tried to swing both her blade and sheath at the incoming girl. Blake managed to hit her side, but not before taking a quick and momentum heavy attack from Weiss.

With a bit more confidence, Weiss summoned up another glyph where she'd end up from propelling from the first glyph, locking her feet down on it, only to shoot herself back at Blake. Another strike to the back, since Blake wasn't expecting her to fling herself like that again, and Weiss repeated the process of going from one glyph to the other, attacking Blake on the way to the next glyph as fast as she could.

Instead of just standing there and taking it though, Blake had enough and predicted where she'd go to next, using her shadow to dodge an attack, and the moment Weiss was about to shoot off to another glyph, Blake was there, kicking her in the stomach and sending her flying back with a loud grunt.

"Agh!" Weiss cried out in pain, clutching her stomach as she hadn't expected a kick like that. "Ugh, kicking… Really, Belladonna?"

"Oh please, don't complain about my feet when getting hit with a blade." Blake smirked and decided it was time to get a bit more serious, swapping Gambol Shroud to gun mode.

Weiss' eyes widened as she had to roll out of the way of the gunfire Blake was using on her. When she had enough moment, she jumped up and slammed her rapier down, producing an ice wall to block the incoming rounds.

" _Moving onto dust? Okay… I shouldn't have used so many glyphs. I got too excited… Ugh, Winter would be so disappointed if she knew about this."_

Shaking her head to get away from those thoughts, Weiss thought about how Blake was on the other side of the ice wall, so the element of surprise could be good to use. Her ice was cracking from the continued gunfire, so Weiss took a breath, swapping the blade on Myrtenaster to the sharp edged form.

Without a second thought, she used her Shapeshifting and became a wolf, grabbing Myrtenaster with her teeth, as she got ready. When the ice shattered, she jumped out at Blake from the crumbling ice, causing the cat Faunus to gasp, as she couldn't block with her weapon in pistol form.

Weiss slashed at her, hitting Blake back far enough to cause some damage when she fell. Letting the enemy recover though was never a good idea, so Weiss picked up on the offensive. Blake was on one knee, seeing Weiss charging at her, so she began firing rounds at the white wolf, who decided to take the shots, shocking Blake.

Not many knew, but Weiss had a stronger aura in her wolf form, so she just kept running at her, deflecting shots with her blade, and taking a few till she got close and slashed down at Blake, thinking she'd gotten her, but instead Blake's body turned into a shadowy mist.

The white wolf growled at that, as Blake swapped back to her dual wielding. "I didn't think you'd just take those shots, Weiss… You need to be careful."

Weiss wasn't ready to talk, so she ran at the girl, her size being large enough to give her a possible pouncing strategy, but as she got close, Blake swung one blade to the left, and her other was a jab. Instead of just focusing on one outright, Weiss used a glyph, making it have ice properties as it covered Blake's arm up with ice, the one jabbing at the wolf.

In that split second moment, Weiss bashed her body against Blake, taking the slash that Blake went for. With Blake being pushed onto her back, Weiss pounced onto her, slamming her paw down on the arm not covered in ice.

Blake gasped in pain, though her aura was at least taking most of the damage. As Weiss looked down at her, she was about to slash down at Blake, turning her head in a motion meant for swinging, seeing as she fought with her weapon being used with her teeth.

Another use of her shadow semblance, and Blake was free, as the ice on her arm fell to the ground and shattered. Weiss growled in annoyance, dropping her weapon, as she felt it was slowing her down to swing.

Seeing that confused Blake.

" _What is she doing? She knows I'd have the advantage if she drops her only use of a dust catalyst without using her semblance."_

Weiss turned to Blake, growling as she moved slowly in a predator hunting its prey like fashion. Blake was being patient as well, not wanting to take any chances with what Weiss could do as a wolf.

" _There's nothing wrong fighting the way I was born. Even if things change, I know who I still am."_

Weiss charged in that moment, as Blake slashed her blades, using dust to swing out electric beams at the white wolf. Instead of just taking the hit, Weiss did something unexpected to both girls. She howled, and suddenly the shockwave of the much louder than normal howl dispersed the electricity.

It was like time stopped for both of them, as Weiss gasped and felt her entire body was heavy. Blake herself wasn't too tired from the fight itself, but seeing a shockwave from a howl truly was unexpecting.

When she noticed Weiss swaying though, she sheathed her blade and ran over, grabbing at her the best she could from keeping her from falling. "Weiss! Whoa, hey, try to relax."

Weiss' vision was blurry, as she almost fell over even in Blake's grasp. Instead she allowed herself to lay down, panting heavily as she felt like her head was on fire. "Ugh… Blake… What was that…"

"You're asking me?" Blake moved her hand to Weiss' chest, feeling her heart racing beneath the fur. "Weiss, I don't know what you just did, but you need to try relaxing. Your heart is racing." The concern in her voice was raised after feeling just how fast Weiss' heart was beating.

The white wolf took a deep breath, several deep breaths, as she still felt a massive headache from the howl she let out. "O-Okay…" Weiss was shaking a bit, but she did her best to just calm down.

" _Why are so many things happening with me?"_

Weiss wasn't dumb. She knew it was clearly something to do with her abilities as a Hidden, but to cause a shockwave with just a howl. It almost felt unreal to have such a strength. In her mind, she knew of one thing she wanted to do, and that was to speak to Torn again.

* * *

 **I hope you all didn't mind this set up chapter for future events to really set in. It's not a lot in terms of story, but I liked getting this done to show that not just Weiss, but other Hidden are able to expand on more than just their physical animal abilities. Oh, and don't worry, I am not going to make these abilities overpowered. Obviously it takes way more out of them than just semblance use.**

 **To JJ- I wanted to show that any character could have something good to them, whether it was who they were before or what they could be. Jacques is too stubborn and ignorant to see the problems he's brought upon his family, only focusing on what he deems as the good he's done. Willow can't continue trying to show him the wrong, if the man never understands what he's really done.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 124. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 125.**


	125. A Huntress

**Here's chapter 125, everyone.**

* * *

"You're kidding me, right? Why would you make her that promise when you yourself told that woman she can't see her?" Qrow asked his sister as they were outside the warehouse. "Seriously, you even said it wouldn't be safe to get Willow involved."

Raven rolled her eyes. "I'm not an idiot, Qrow. I know what I said, but things change. And I don't see why you're so upset about this when it has nothing to do with you."

"If you think I'm upset, then you really can't gauge people that well." The huntsman said as he took a sip from his canteen. "I don't really care whether you bring her to Willow or not. Just wondering why you'd want to now of all times."

"What do you mean now of all times?" Raven questioned.

"Seeing as we still haven't gotten any further with The Relentless, I thought you'd want to wait till it was completely safe first." Qrow reasoned.

Raven sighed, looking back at the warehouse to make sure no one was listening in. "There's no telling if this woman will even live by that point." Qrow wasn't one to get taken aback by her words, as he too sighed, knowing the very real possibility. "So if she and Willow could have a guaranteed moment to see each other again, maybe they should have it."

"Right… I'd rather not bring anyone's hopes up… You and I both know enough on that sort of thing." Qrow took another sip. "So, when you planning on bringing them together?"

"I need a bit of time first." Raven looked away, feeling a twinge of guilt. "If I just show up so soon, she might suspect that I've lied to her this whole time about Lazuria."

"To be fair, you have been lying, but for good reason. Besides, when the hell have you cared if someone got mad at… You…" Qrow noticed his sister wasn't looking at him, so he smirked. "Ah, got it."

Raven's eyebrows raised, turning her head to see her brother was smirking. "The hell is with that look?"

"Don't worry about it." He put his hands in his pockets and started walking back to the warehouse. "Pick a day when you're gonna do this, and don't just take her out of here. Tell us first. I know you like splitting off without saying a word way more than you should."

Choosing not to say anything, Raven pressed her hand over her sheath, sighing to herself. "Okay then."

* * *

"Yang, did Mom say when she'll be back?" Ruby asked after changing out of her school uniform. "Cause I really need to talk to her."

The blonde had been laying in bed just reading a magazine she had, shrugging at her younger sister. "Nope. Gonna guess and say she'll be here tomorrow though. You know her work schedule, sis."

Ruby sighed and sat back down on Weiss' bed. "Right." She kept thinking to herself what she really wanted to do next. On one hand, she thought about how she was going to ask her Mother to help with finding Weiss' birth Mother, and on the other hand, she wanted Weiss to avoid contact with The Relentless.

Since her birth Mother was marked, finding her would clearly bring the risk of her being discovered by The Relentless.

Yang noticed her sister had gotten silent, as she looked over, setting the magazine down. "You got something on your mind, sis? Y'know you can't hide much from your big sister."

Groaning, Ruby laid back on Weiss' bed, looking up at her own bunk. "Have you ever had two decisions to make, and if you make one decision, it makes the other one worse?"

Hearing that, Yang was getting into a more serious tone. "Honestly? Yeah. Having to decide whether I wanna have my Mom involved in my life… I could've said no and make things harder on us both, and even dad." She let out a small smile when she saw her sister sitting up, with a surprised look of guilt on her face. "Hey, don't worry, sis. It's not hard to bring up anymore."

"I… I'm still sorry. I shouldn't have thought I'm the only one here with that kind of problem." Ruby said as she lowered her head.

Yang jumped off her bunk and walked over, rubbing Ruby's shoulder. "You're just a bit stressed out. And besides, every situation is different, so mind telling me the two choices on your mind?"

Ruby looked up at her sister, knowing she could trust her to not take her lightly. "It's about Weiss. I told myself that I could ask Mom to try and find her birth Mother, but if I do that, it might get Weiss more involved with this Relentless stuff."

"And obviously you don't want that to happen." Yang squeezed Ruby's shoulder supportively. "I get that, sis. I mean, hell, I don't want those murdering pieces of shit near her either."

"Yeah… But I know she wants to meet her birth Mother. At first she didn't, but she was just angry at the time." Ruby reminded.

Yang sat next to the rose girl, nodding at that. "I don't wanna repeat myself, but I do get that too. It's not easy letting things go, but you heard what I just said. Not involving Mom in my life… It would've brought more bad than good."

"So what should I do? If Mom is able to find Weiss' Mother, then it could risk Weiss' life…" Ruby held her head in her hands, groaning and shaking her head a bunch of times. "Ugh, how can I be a team leader when I can't even make a decision?!"

"Whoa now. Relax, sis. Don't start doubting yourself over this. And… Not to sound mean, but this isn't just your decision." Ruby's eyes went wide, and she froze. "Weiss is the one who needs to make the choice in the end."

Blinking a few times, Ruby almost wanted to slap herself in the face for not thinking what Weiss would really want in the end. "I… I shouldn't have even thought about telling Mom… Damn it, Yang. What do I do now?"

"You talk to your partner, sis. Help her see she has options now, and whatever SHE wants, you should just go with it." Yang suggested.

"But you told me that if you didn't involve your Mom in your life, it would've made things worse. What if Weiss-." Ruby yelped when her sister flicked her forehead. "Ow!"

"Sis, not every situation is the same. Maybe it would be better if Weiss meets her birth Mom, but that isn't our decision to make. We have to respect her choice, especially you, since you are her girlfriend. The girl she trusts more than anyone in the whole world." Yang said supportingly.

"M-Me?" Ruby was stunned by hearing that.

Yang nodded, as she had a more somber expression. "I'm not mad at her Mom, y'know, not her birth Mom, but she did have to lie to Weiss for a long time, so I can tell Weiss has a bit of trust issues with her, but you," She wrapped her arm around Ruby. "You're the one she'll always trust, Ruby."

Ruby blushed at that, since she really did want to be the one person Weiss could trust no matter what. Not in the sense of taking advantage of her, as Ruby refused to even let that thought enter her mind, but to show her that even if the whole world was against her, she wouldn't be.

"I need to find her…" Ruby got up and ran out the room after quickly opening the door, leaving her sister smiling as she knew her work was done for the day.

"Everyone needs a little push sometimes, even you, sis." Yang got up and stretched as she was preparing to get on her bed, but then looked over, seeing Blake walking in, though looking back out the door.

"Was that Ruby just now?" Blake asked when she noticed Yang was in the room.

Yang chuckled a few times, nodding as she decided to sit on Blake's bed. "You know her. She likes to speed off when she wants something done." She stretched a bit more. "Soooo, whatcha been up to, Shadowcat?"

Blake's ears twitched under her bow. "Every time?" Yang shrugged and gave her a wink, so Blake sighed in response. "Weiss and I decided to spar a bit. And, uh, well something weird happened."

"Oh? Wanna fill me in or should we play twenty questions so I can figure it out that way?" Yang inquired.

"Don't be a smartass." Blake warned, while Yang just stuck her tongue out. "Seriously though, during our sparring, she howled louder than I've ever heard her before, and it created a shockwave."

Yang was surprised by that. "Huh. No shit?" Blake didn't really know how to explain it. 'Wow, looks like Ice Wolf is learning more about her animal powers… Man! I need to catch up with her! No way am I being left in the dust!" She got up and looked pumped.

"Uh, right… About that. Could you maybe do whatever you plan on doing later?" Blake's request made Yang give her a questioning look. "I wanted to call my parents, and since you're here already… I was hoping they could get a chance to meet you." She had a light blush on her face.

The blonde picked up on her blush and smiled, not wanting to joke around when it came to Blake's more serious moments. "You know I'd love to meet them, Blake. Here," She sat back down and patted the bed a few times.

Blake's ears perked up and she smiled, taking a seat next to her partner, as she got her scroll out.

* * *

Lazuria was staying safe inside the warehouse, taking bites of an apple here and there, while Tai was with her. "Did you ever tell your wife about your opinions on this?" She suddenly asked the blonde huntsman.

Tai was surprised that she even spoke up, let alone asked that kind of question. "My opinion? Well, I mean it's a whole mess if you ask me. Not you, but those people who are after you." He had his arms crossed, shaking his head with an aggravated look. "They're the kinds of people who make this world, which is already filled with monsters feeding on negative emotions, even worse than it already is."

"You have a lot of anger towards a group you've only recently learned of." Lazuria said as she looked at the apple, a huge chunk bit off, focusing on the emptiness of it.

"I don't need to be told more than what I have been. Though, I'm curious on why you'd think I wouldn't hate a group of murderous psychopaths." Tai inquired.

Lazuria placed the apple down. "I'm not surprised by your hatred for them. I just find it funny how similar people could be to them," She continued staring at the apple. "They choose to hate my kind without any thought of who we could be behind the fangs and claws."

"Hey, that's not exactly what I'd call a comparison." Tai remarked.

"And why not?" Lazuria turned to face the man. "They're murderers that I hate with my entire being, but who am I to them? In their eyes, I'm a murderer that they want to destroy."

Tai shook his head. "All you want to do is live your life. They just want to destroy lives. I don't see the comparison, even if you explained it a million times."

Lazuria felt herself tense up a bit, letting out a light laugh. "I won't ask if it's fair to just hate them… They've ruined more than just my life, while all my kind has done is live amongst humanity."

"There's no question about it. Going after these people, it's what we need to do. And no offense, but it isn't just about helping you. It's about making sure they can't ruin anyone else's life." Tai stated.

"Hmm, I'm glad I picked the right set of hunters for this then." Lazuria smiled, but suddenly the sound of a gun went off, and she instantly looked to the entrance to the warehouse. "T-They're here? But it's too early…"

Tai was instantly out of his seat, getting in front of her. "Stay here. Raven should be guarding the front with Qrow." The usually drunk huntsman had walked in before, but he was on break, so he would be outside with his sister. "Damn it… Summer is out in town right now." He pulled his scroll out and informed her of what was happening.

Lazuria felt her hand shaking. She wasn't expecting to have a Relentless member going after her at this time, and yet there was no way it was anything else. She grabbed her wolf mask from the table and placed it over her face.

Even when she was afraid, she would still honor who she was in the face of her greatest enemy. "I can still fight you know. I've killed enough of them to know how to handle-."

"That's why I want you to stay back. You've done more than enough to defend your life. Let the people you've called for help out this time." Tai said, not keeping his eyes off the entrance.

Lazuria bit her lip, as she hated the idea of just standing back. Only because she's only done so in her life. And that was just fighting. "What happens if your team ends up hurt then? You wouldn't want that."

Her attempts at persuading him to let her fight were clear. "I can understand why you wouldn't have as much faith in them as I do. You've only known them for such little time," Tai smirked. "But if I know one thing about those two, they wouldn't let some thug be the reason to lose now."

"You really want to bank their safety on this? Just to keep me out of this?" Lazuria asked angrily.

"We're hunters. And from what I've heard about you… I can pick up on you having been one yourself. So you know we won't give up on anyone in need of help. We'll fight till the bitter end. That's just what we choose to do." Tai proudly stated.

Another shot ran out, but that time it was followed up by an explosion, shocking both of them as they almost fell off their feet.

With that, the apple Lazuria left on the table rolled off, and the wolf woman stared at it. The chunk missing, and the emptiness she felt when staring at it.

" _What it meant to be a huntress?"_

"If that's the case… Then I'll let your team handle this after all." Lazuria said in a somber tone. "I can't claim to be one after all…"

Tai looked confused as he glanced over his shoulder, while also listening in on the fighting outside. "You can't claim to be what?"

"A huntress."

* * *

 **Again, a bit more set up moments here, but at least with this chapter the point of the set up is coming up next. So hopefully this isn't too much of a bother to have to wait on the next big moment(s).**

 **To JJ- I will decide on how far I want the Hidden to go in terms of power. I don't want to make them overpowered with the amount of abilities they could possess. The howl was more of a throwback to when Weiss discovered she could use glyphs, but it will be a power she can still use now.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 125. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 126.**


	126. A Huntsman

**Here's chapter 126, everyone.**

* * *

"Great, what a perfect moment for this guy to show up." Qrow said, complaining about the Relentless member that came for Lazuria. "Where the hell did he go now?" He quickly scanned the area, since it looked like the Relentless member had a semblance that hid him.

Raven kept her eye on the entrance to the warehouse, while other places where the man could enter through was blocked off. "Shut up and stay focused."

Qrow didn't feel he needed to use his scythe for the fight, keeping his weapon in sword form. "Yeah, yeah." Hearing a crunch of a can behind him, he swung his blade after spinning around, hitting the blade of the Relentless member. "How-."

The Relentless member's blade was glowing red, shocking Qrow as it was beginning to melt off his own sword's metal. "You don't matter here." He whispered to the man, as Qrow jumped back, looking at his blade's metal.

"Ugh, damn it! Gonna have to get this fixed now…" Qrow somehow could only complain about the inconvenience.

Raven rolled her eyes, not trying to focus too much on her brother, as she glared at the man. "Explain yourself, or we will kill you. Neither of us are afraid to spill blood." She only wanted to stall him, seeing as she knew exactly why he was there.

Without dropping his guard, he spoke. "My mission is clear. So either stay out of this, or that blade won't be the only thing I melt."

Qrow looked annoyed by that, running in after placing his blade on his back, using his fists to fight instead. Knowing that the blade the Relentless member had would burn into him, so he ducked under a swing, sending a left hook in at the Relentless member's stomach, but the moment he made contact, it went through nothing but the air.

Raven watched carefully, seeing what looked to be a static like effect on where his body was, as she instantly turned her attention to where the man was looking beforehand. She saw him on top of a few wrecked cars.

"Teleportation." Raven bit her lip, slicing her blade down as a concentrated beam of fire was sent at the man, cutting the pile of wrecked cars in half. "No point in keeping him alive, Qrow! His semblance will get him out of anything we trap him with."

Qrow took note of how he seemingly got away. "Wait, we can still find another way, even if this guy is annoying as hell." Raven didn't feel the same way, jumping at the man and ignoring Qrow's attempts to keep him alive. "Raven!"

He groaned when his sister continued to ignore him. Sadly when she slashed at the man, he already vanished and ended up on the roof of the warehouse, slamming his blade down and began using the melting effect to carve a hole in the roof.

Raven's eyes widened, as he seemed to know exactly where to pinpoint Lazuria, so she jumped up onto the roof, speeding after him, but as she slashed at him, the hole was made, and the man dropped down, but not before fire an ice dust shot at the edges of the hole, forming a small temporary barrier he believed would give him enough time to reach his target.

Tai had instantly heard when the blade was hit into the roof, so he had looked up when the Relentless dropped in, making sure Lazuria was behind him.

" _How did this guy get past Raven and Qrow?"_

Lazuria growled when she saw him, as the man landed, but quickly looked up, firing more ice shots at the ceiling at the moment Raven broke through, so again, she was inconvenienced.

"Stay back, I-." Tai felt Lazuria push past him, as she ran up to the man, stabbing a dagger at the Relentless member.

As she went through him, the man had teleported behind Tai, but with the huntsman knowingly keeping his aura up, he was able to at least endure a bit of the pain when he was slashed in the back by the melting blade.

Tai cried out as he was staggered forward, so the Relentless member grabbed him from behind and held his blade up to his neck. "Call off your friends and leave the animal to me. Or you die… We don't wish to kill non Hidden, but we will if you interfere."

The blonde huntsman grunted, hating that he was instantly subdued. "Animal… I don't see any animal here, buddy."

"Don't play dumb with me, huntsman." He moved the blade a bit closer to his neck, which Tai could feel the heat of it. "Three hunters just sitting around a warehouse with one of our main targets just happening to be around? You know everything."

Lazuria was standing a bit away when she realized what happened. "Stop this. I'm clearly the one you want… Let the man go."

The Relentless member smirked under the mask. "Tricking people to play your side, huh. You animals will do anything to wipe humanity out."

Tai was taken aback by that, but since he didn't want to risk a blade to his throat, he had to stay still.

" _Maybe we can keep him talking… Get more info out of him. He teleports, so catching him won't do a thing."_

"I have nothing to say to you, murderer." Lazuria growled, keeping her hand at the ready to grab the gun she had hidden under her jacket.

A moment later, the entrance to the warehouse opened up, with Qrow running in. And Raven broke through the ice, dropping down and landing. Both siblings noticed that Tai was taken as a hostage.

Qrow groaned. "Good job, Tai."

Tai rolled his eyes. "Shut it," He glanced over his shoulder. "Listen, there's no point to this."

"Oh there is." The Relentless member kept hold on Tai, as he used his semblance again, teleporting to the entrance of the warehouse. "Stay back or he dies!" Raven bit her lip, looking specifically at Tai, knowing he could break free with ease.

" _What the hell are you doing, Tai?!"_

She wanted to yell that, and as soon as Qrow lifted up his weapon, Harbinger, it was in gun form, but the Relentless member pressed the blade against Tai's throat, earning a loud yell of pain from the blonde huntsman, so Qrow instantly lowered the weapon down and raised his hands up.

"Whoa, okay, look, no weapons drawn… Just calm down." Qrow tried reasoning.

Tai was still feeling the burn of the blade, even after it was moved away, so he decided to try and get information out for the time being. "Are you just going to walk me out of here and run? Is that the play?"

"Shut up." The Relentless member kept his eyes focused on the others, as he backed up with Tai.

"Y'know, if you at least tell us why you want someone like her to die, maybe we can make a compromise with your boss?" Tai made sure he was sounding convincing. "I'm a huntsman. I want to protect humanity just as much as you do… So care to explain?"

The Relentless member did his best to get the entrance closed, and when it was, he looked down at Tai. "You and your team are too far gone, huntsman. Believing in the lies that animal told you."

"Maybe the others, but I still stand by keeping my family safe. If she's a danger as you say, then I want to make sure it doesn't get to a point where I have regrets." Tai knew the kinds of people that couldn't be reasoned with, so he tried a different approach. "You saw that one idiot. He belittled me for getting caught. You really think we're all buddy, buddy?"

"People say things we want to hear. You think you're the first?" The Relentless member countered.

Tai internally groaned. "And maybe other people want to know the truth. Ever think of that?"

Thinking about it for a moment, the Relentless member kept his communicator at the ready. "If you wanted to know the truth, then you wouldn't have let that animal in."

"Because we were contacted first. Lies can be said, and maybe I need to be enlightened on this whole situation. So what are you gonna do now?" Tai questioned.

"If you're really interested in the truth, then you'd come with me, no weapons, and no scrolls." The Relentless member said, not wanting to take any risks with the man.

Tai wasn't about to let the chance to be taken to a possible HQ. "I don't see any problem with that, but I don't want to be lied to either. I need to know that woman is an actual threat. Back pocket for my scroll." The Relentless member reached for it, grabbing it out his pants and tossing it to the ground.

"Oh she is, and you'll know exactly why." He pulled Tai further away, as he was preparing to use his semblance, but Qrow, Raven and Lazuria ran out the warehouse. "Call them off. Now."

"Get back here!" Raven yelled out, as she was prepared to save her ex-husband at any cost, but she tensed up when she saw Tai blink in a certain pattern.

"Stay back!" Tai ordered, his voice being way harsher than the Relentless member expected. "I don't want to help that woman if she's a danger."

Lazuria's heart dropped at that, as she was visibly hurting, a real reaction that the Relentless member was able to see. "W-What?"

"If there are people after you, there needs to be a reason." Tai's words were cold. "And I want to know the truth."

" _I'm sorry Lazuria. You'll understand soon enough."_

Qrow looked angrier than he's ever been. "What the hell are you saying, Tai?!"

"Just shut up and figure out what we've become huntsmen for! To protect humanity… And is she's," Tai looked to Lazuria. "A danger to it, then she can't be trusted."

The Relentless member wasn't some higher up, or even that well known in the group, so all he could do is feel victory in convincing someone that the Hidden were just monsters. Lazuria just felt the pain of betrayal, as she almost wanted to run off.

Qrow took a step forward, as Raven held her arm out, keeping him back. "No. He's made his choice, Qrow." She kept an equally cold glare at Tai. "Go on then, but the next time I see you, I swear I won't let you lay a finger on her." She said to her ex-husband, sealing the deal.

"I've had enough chit-chat. It's time to go." The Relentless member turned around, using his semblance to get him and Tai away from the area.

Qrow's eyes went wide, as he looked on where they were. "The hell was that?! Raven," He turned to face his sister, anger in his eyes, as Lazuria was feeling horribly depressed. "Why did you stop me?!"

Raven sighed. "Because Tai is taking a huge risk, and you almost fucked it up…"

Lazuria slowly lifted her head. "What?"

Qrow looked equally confused, as Raven shook her head. "He's making that moron take him to their hideout." Both Lazuria and Qrow were shocked, mostly from the dangers of that idea. "He used morse code… All we can do is trust that he can handle things there without us."

"So… He didn't mean what he said?" Lazuria asked.

"Of course he didn't. I know he more than a lot others." Raven looked on to where they had teleported to, but lost sight after the jumps after. "He had to make it sound convincing."

Qrow crossed his arms. "Idiot. He may have tricked one moron, but he's about to get himself trapped in the nest of those murderers. What the hell was he thinking?!"

Raven slapped the back of her brother's head, earning an annoyed grunt. "He's the only one thinking on this team! We had no leads, and no chances at finding them, but now we do… It's what he as a huntsman is risking to do."

Lazuria held her hand against her heart. "This is my fault."

Raven and Qrow looked to the woman, as the sister of the two sighed. "Tai would tell you it isn't. He'd say that huntsmen and huntresses will fight to the bitter end to protect people. If all you do is sit there and mope about whose fault it is, then you'd be disrespecting what he did for you."

Qrow was about to speak up to try and get her to back off of Lazuria, but the wolf woman met Raven's stare. "He… Said that. Fighting to the bitter end, but… I don't want anyone to die in my place."

"Then have faith." Raven took a few steps towards her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "He won't die for this. I know him well enough to be sure of that."

Lazuria tried to calm her heart down by taking a deep breath, sighing a bit as she nodded. "I hope you're right then, but whatever happens after, I don't want you and your team on this mission. I'm calling off the job and paying you for it after."

Raven was taken aback. "Excuse me? You heard what I-."

The Hidden woman slapped her hand away. "I know what you said! But this is my choice, so if he comes back with the information of where they are, then I'll find a way to handle the rest by myself, and no this isn't up for discussion!" She turned around and walked back to the warehouse, not caring that Raven was yelling at her to come back.

Qrow groaned at the entire ordeal, as he grabbed his sister's arm. "Relax, she isn't gonna listen to you."

Raven yanked her arm away from him. "Ugh. She knows that her way of dealing with them is suicide."

"No shit. So don't make a big deal out of something we won't agree to anyways. For now," Qrow placed his hands in his pockets, walking back to the warehouse as well. "Get ready to explain to Summer where Tai is."

Hearing that, Raven instantly froze on the spot.

"Oh."

* * *

 **I want to apologize if this chapter seemed to have happened too quick. Sometimes I feel like things can just happen on the spot, and this chapter showed that. Also, seeing as in the show we still don't know what weapon Tai uses at the time of writing this, it was really hard to have him in this chapter without fighting. I can assume he uses gauntlets like Yang, but again, still not sure fully yet.**

 **To JJ- A lot has happened since she first howled, but back then it was her discovering her semblance of glyphs. This time was more expanding on her Hidden powers. As for finding a balance, again, yeah, it's tough. I just hope that you all will make sure to take note of if one side seems too OP so I can adjust.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 126. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 127.**


	127. Yet Another

**Here's chapter 127, everyone.**

* * *

"Come on, come on. Where would you be at this point, Weiss?" Ruby asked herself as she was zipping around the halls, noticing that some people would gasp and jump back from her speeding off past them.

She had remembered that Weiss messaged her some time ago that she and Blake had been training with each other, but seeing as she ran past Blake the moment she knew she needed to talk to her partner, Ruby had a feeling Weiss would want to relax a bit.

" _Usual spot. Gotta be."_

When she made her way outside, with a few students yelling at her to slow down, the rose girl looked around, hoping she'd see her partner under their tree. Sadly for the first time, she didn't find her there. "She's… Not out here…" Ruby blinked a few times, feeling dumb as she quickly went and got her scroll out. "Ugh, better not tell anyone I forgot to just use my scroll."

After a few moments of waiting on her partner to answer, she was greeted by the sound of her voice. "Ruby, hey, sorry I didn't show up with Blake."

"I kinda didn't really notice Blake when she walked in, but… How come you're not back in the usual spot? You love that spot." Ruby remarked, as she heard her partner chuckle lightly.

"Have I really become that predictable?" Weiss sighed to herself. "Ruby, I'm still back in the training room. I've been trying to," The white haired teen took a moment to collect her thoughts. "I suppose I'm trying to slow down."

Ruby wasn't sure what her partner meant by that point. "Huh? Slow down?"

"I think I'd rather explain it to you in person. And seeing as I've become pretty predictable, how about we just meet up in the dorm?" Weiss suggested.

"Oh, well… Okay, but I really need to talk with you alone. I hope you don't mind asking Blake and Yang to give us some privacy." Ruby said.

"Ugh, I don't have a problem with that personally, but I know your oaf of a sister will find some way to turn that into teasing material." Weiss complained, earning a light giggle from her girlfriend.

"Don't worry, Wolfy." Ruby heard her partner groan at the nickname. "I'll use my serious leader voice to get her not to mess around."

"Your… Serious leader voice? Ruby, that literally makes it sound the opposite of serious. And if Yang finds out that's what you call your stern attitude, she won't take you as serious as you think… Wait, why are we even talking about this?! Ugh, just meet me back at the dorm." With that, Weiss ended the call, not wanting to mess about, as Ruby chuckled to herself and began running back to the dorm.

* * *

Blake hand her finger hovering over her Mother's number on her scroll, while Yang noticed she was trembling a bit. "Hey, you shouldn't be so nervous, Blake. You talked to them before, right?" When the cat Faunus nodded, Yang smiled and rubbed her shoulder. "Then you know that this will be the same. You'll be fine."

"R-Right." Blake pressed the call button and waited, deciding to keep it on video call, since she knew her Mom would request for her to do anyways. "Please keep the jokes to a minimum too, Yang."

The blonde girl squeezed her shoulder. "No problem. This is important to you. I won't mess it up, I promise."

Blake appreciated that the most, knowing Yang was always one to keep her promises. After a few moments, the call was answered, and an image of an older looking Blake appeared, at least in what Yang saw.

To Blake, it was just her Mother, as the older cat Faunus was happier than ever to hear from her daughter. "Blake! Oh I'm so glad you called." As Kali said that though, she noticed Yang in the video feed. "Oh! Is that a friend of yours?"

The younger cat Faunus had a light blush on her face, not knowing if she should introduce her as a friend, or as someone more. Luckily for Blake, Yang spoke up. "Heya, I'm Yang Xiao Long. And you seriously look like Blake's twin!"

Hearing that Blake's eyes widened, while Kali laughed a bit. "Well don't you know the right words to say to someone my age." Blake was feeling the embarrassment hit. "Though I'm sure you know, I'm Blake's Mother, Kali. It's nice to meet the girl my little kitten is friends with."

"M-Mom…" Blake whined, not wanting her to call her that

Yang snorted. "Kitten?"

Blake groaned and almost wanted to toss her scroll away, while her Mother let out a light laugh. "Oh come on now, Blake. You know I'm just kidding around." She watched her daughter's blush die down a bit. "Still, I really am happy you called, sweetie."

Not wanting to make a big deal out of it, Blake recollected herself. "I just felt like it was a good time to, and… I really wanted you to meet my… Friends." Her cat ears twitched, basically at the same time as her Mother's.

Yang rubbed her partner's shoulder and smiled at the screen. "And it's not just me you're gonna get to meet. My little sister and her girlfriend is gonna be back here soon."

Kali smiled back. "I can't wait to meet them then, but since you're here now, Yang," She wasn't about to forget the girl's name that easily. "How did you and my daughter meet? If you don't mind me asking."

Blake cut in before Yang could speak. "Mom, before she tells you," She took a breath. "I wanted to tell you where I'm living now." Kali waited with her heart racing, hoping her daughter was somewhere safe. "I've decided to train to become a huntress at Beacon Academy. It's in Vale."

Hearing that, Kali was quite taken aback. "Beacon? That's so far… But at least it's safe." She held her hand against her chest. "A huntress. My baby girl wants to be a huntress."

Yang looked happy to see how Blake's Mom reacted to that, so she patted Blake's shoulder a few times. "She's an amazing fighter by the way. Shows me up more than I like." The blonde said with a grin.

Kali knew of Blake's combat skills, seeing as she had a bit of training in her time before she joined the White Fang. "There was always something in the back of my mind telling me she could easily become a huntress. Hearing this now, I'm just so proud of how far you've come, sweetie."

Blake was able to let out a small smile, silently speaking. "Thank you, Mom."

Knowing not to mention about Blake's fake limping from the day they met, Yang figured she should explain how they met. "About your question on how we me, as soon as my sister and I got to Beacon... I don't know," She squeezed her partner's shoulder. "I just saw her walking to the school, and she was by herself. Something just clicked and told me that I wanted to get to know who she was. Making the choice to talk to her was one of the best choices I've ever made."

Blake held back a blush, not wanting to make things obvious in front of her Mother, as Kali looked content with that answer. "I'm happy to hear that. Looking at you two now, I can see you've become great friends."

"Heh, you don't know the half of it." Yang commented, as Blake sighed.

"Mom, about Beacon," Blake clearly wanted to change the subject for a moment. "I think I really do want to continue learning here. After… After I left, I had a lot of time to think."

Kali didn't know if she could bring up the White Fang, so she kept it vague. "I'd never be upset with the choices you make, sweetie. And seeing as this choice made it so you could meet such a kind person," She said as she looked to Yang, who smiled back. "I think you know exactly what you're doing and what you want to do with your life."

Blake bit her lip, feeling guilty that she just left her parents like that, so she held back her tears. "I still wish I spoke to you sooner."

Yang cut in. "Sorry to cut in like this, but c'mon Blake, your Mom is happy talking to ya now. All that stuff in the past shouldn't be worried about here."

Before Blake could speak, her Mother continued off of Yang's words. "She's right, Blake. I don't want to hear about your regrets. Your Father would say the same thing."

Blake's ears drooped and she sighed. "Okay, but… No, no, forget it, you're right. Where is Dad by the way?"

"Your Father is helping with a few expansion deals. Our little island is getting quite packed after all." Kali tried making it a bit lighthearted as she let out a laugh, while Blake looked upset about how her people were made to live on an island like that. "Don't pay it too much mind, sweetie. I'd rather hear about your other friends after all."

Yang grinned. "Oh I can help out with that. Seeing as one is my little sister, and the other I've known for a long time." She wrapped an arm around Blake's shoulders, earning a yelp from the younger cat Faunus, as Kali giggled. "My little sister, her name is Ruby, is like this super energetic weapons fanatic. She's the leader of the team actually."

Kali was a bit surprised that the little sister in the group was the one to be leader, but she wasn't one to judge. "She must be quite talented then."

"Yeah, she really is, but I totally helped train her, so y'know, she totally owes me." Yang continued doing her best to keep the conversation from ending up going to a depressing place. "Oh, and then there's our resident wolf of the group."

Blake's ears perked up, hoping Yang wasn't about to reveal too much, as Kali raised an eyebrow. "Wolf?'

"Yup!" Yang grinned. "Her semblance is her becoming a wolf, and she's gets super embarrassed about it." Blake was relieved she played it off that way, but wondered what Yang was going to say, while Kali was trying to not make herself obvious on the shock she had about hearing about an animal transformation semblance. "When she turns into a wolf, poof, her clothes fall off. Heh, you should see the look on her face when she has to change back. Oh, shoot, right, her name is Weiss by the way. Probably shoulda started with that."

Kali was silent for a few moments, taking in what Yang said about this Weiss girl.

"Mom?" Blake spoke, wondering if the video call was losing connection, since her Mom seemed to be frozen on the spot.

"H-Huh? Oh, sorry, sweetie." Kali put on a fake smile. "I was just thinking about the meeting your Father is going to later, but, uh, yes, this Weiss you spoke of-."

As soon as she said that, the door to the dorm opened, as Weiss walked in. "Ay, Ice Wolf." Yang greeted, waving her over. "Come on over. Blake's Mom is on video call and wants to meet ya."

Weiss was taken aback by the suddenness of being called over, as she slowly walked over and set her things down on her bed. "Really?" She looked a bit happy, mostly for Blake since she was taking her advice on speaking to her family, as she got over to them and got into view.

Kali was instantly surprised, since the Schnee family had very distinct features. White hair and blue eyes. "You must be Weiss…"

Blake took note of her Mom's voice, as well as Weiss. "Um, yes, I am. It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Belladonna."

Yang could feel a bit of tension, as she thought it was about a certain subject. "Uh, before anything, Weiss is nothing like her Dad. She's-."

"Hmm? Oh, come now, I'm not going to judge anyone on what their parents do." Kali spoke normally, knowing she was causing tension, while Weiss smiled at that, happy she wasn't going to up and hate her because of her Father's choices. "Let's start over. I'm Blake's Mother, Kali."

Weiss nodded. "And I'm Weiss Schnee. It's nice to finally get to meet you."

"Likewise, and… While you may have been a bit nervous, I can tell you this one thing." Kali smiled. "I've actually met your Mother before, Weiss."

Blake and Weiss were surprised by that. "You have?"

"Mhmm. Willow of course, seeing as Yang here mentioned your Father," Kali explained how she got to that point of knowing. "How is she by the way?"

"Oh, well," Weiss tried relaxing a bit. "Sorry, I just wasn't expecting you to know my Mother. She's doing well, and if you don't mind me asking. How did you and my Mother meet?"

"It was a long time ago, but I still remember it like it was yesterday." Kali smiled, enjoying that memory. "This was years ago, back when your Father's company wasn't… I'm sorry to say, what it is today." Weiss frowned, and Kali felt a little bad, but it was the truth. "Your Mother visited Menagerie with a friend of hers. A Schnee being on the island wasn't a shocking sight back then."

Weiss' heart picked up. "A friend of hers?"

Kali's ears drooped sadly. "Yes. Those two were pretty inseparable when I met them in the market. And seeing a Schnee there, well, I can say I had a bit of an interest in speaking to your Mother."

Hearing how Kali was describing her Mother's visit to Menagerie brought more interest in what happened that day. "What did you two talk about, and… Do you remember her friend?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't say I remember her friend that well. Willow on the other hand," Kali smiled. "She was one that enjoyed seeing what Menagerie had to offer. Our little island usually gets ignored, but to her, it was like a new world."

Weiss held her wolf pendant, as Kali continued speaking to her about her interactions with Willow, while in the back of Kali's head, she was doing her best to not speak of the friend Willow was with that day.

* * *

 **To Weiss, she still needs to figure it out herself, but I know you all know who Kali is speaking of. Still, I will say this now, Kali was more friends with Willow than you know who. I don't feel like it be that realistic for that many connections to be made.**

 **So think of this as Kali knowing of her, but not being close to her.**

 **To JJ- Tai has a lot to deal with now for sure, and yeah, balance on how strong characters are can be tough, but again, I hope you all can point out if someone seems to strong at points. As for Summer… She's not gonna be happy.**

 **To Austin- Hmm, well, I mean, you might see an angry Summer coming up here in a bit.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 127. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 128.**


	128. The Leader

**Here's chapter 128, everyone.**

* * *

"Summer, you need to relax." Qrow warned as he watched the usually calm woman keeping her arm pressed up against Raven's neck, keeping her pinned against the wall of the warehouse. "Just listen to the damn reasoning before you-."

Raven cut in. "Qrow, shut the hell up already." She didn't even look at her brother, keeping her eyes trained on Summer's silver eyes. "She's not ready to listen yet."

"You're damn right I'm not! How could you let this happen, Raven?!" Summer shouted, as Lazuria was keeping a bit of a distance away, feeling guilty about the whole situation.

"I didn't." Raven said, not letting Summer's anger get to her. "Listen to me for a minute."

She waited on what Summer would say, and after a few moments of thinking, the blacksmith slowly let go and took a step back. "Explain to me why my husband, your ex is now in the hands of the people we're meant to bring down. Right. Now."

"Because it was a plan he came up with on the spot. Things went south, and he made a smart play, Summer." Raven stated, not wanting to sugarcoat it. "The man isn't an idiot. He knows what he can do from the inside."

Summer bit her lip, but spun around in anger still. Even if the mission was to stop people from bringing harm to others, it didn't make it any easier to hear that her own husband was now stuck in enemy territory, with no one to help him if he needed it.

"I'll never know if he's in danger…" Summer said in a defeated tone, as Raven sighed, choosing to grab her shoulders and spin her around to face her.

"There's something that he always does that ends up working, Summer. This isn't a man we know nothing about, and you damn well better realize that sooner than later." Raven let go and stared, trying to get a good look at how Summer would react.

The blacksmith clenched her fists and almost felt like swinging at her teammate, but kept herself calm. "Don't tell me I don't have faith in him, Raven. I don't need to hear that from you."

Qrow was getting tired of watching them, as he stepped in between the two women, pushing them away from one another. "That's enough, you two, and don't start keeping me out of this. Like it or not, Tai is in enemy territory and we don't have any way of keeping contact with him. So either shut up and try to figure out what we can do next, or sit here and I'll handle this crap myself."

Raven rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "I'm not the one blowing a gasket here. I already realize that we have to figure out what to do next."

Before Summer could retort, Qrow turned around to look to her. "Relax. Raven is right. We can't argue with each other, or we won't even get close to getting him out of there."

"He wouldn't need to be there in the first place if we just found their base by now." Summer said in a low tone, anger clear in her words. "And don't even try to speak to me like I'm a child, Qrow. He's my husband."

Qrow took a step forward and rubbed Summer's shoulder. "I know, Summer. We may not see eye to eye on a lot, but it doesn't mean I'm not angry about this either. But right now he's our best bet on finding them."

Summer lowered her head. "We should've tried harder to find them faster…"

"That's in the past. We can't change anything, and we can't assume we'd find them by just looking all over Remnant. The way he handled it, he made it convincing that he wanted to join their cause." Qrow explained. "Besides, if they wanted to do anything to him, the guy who took him would've done it then and there."

"B-But why risk infiltration?" Summer asked.

Qrow shrugged. "Some people aren't bright, and we don't even know their recruitment process. This sort of thing could be, I don't know, common? It's like they would try converting his ideals."

Summer shook her head in disgust. "They'll never change him…"

"And that's what we know, but they don't." Qrow reasoned. "He'll play it off, and make his move when he knows best. Raven was a bit blunt," He glanced over his shoulder, giving a look of disapproval to his sister. "But she's right. We need to have faith in Tai."

"I have faith in my husband." Summer announced as she raised her head, looking straight into Qrow's eyes. "It's the others that I worry about, Qrow. We don't know what they could do to him, whether recruiting him or figuring out he's infiltrating."

"Stressing about it won't help." Raven spoke up, earning glances at her from Summer and Qrow, as she sighed. "I'm just trying to be realistic. If we have our next move ready, then the moment we can get him out of there will be easier."

Summer thought about it for a moment, while Qrow waited on what she'd say. "Our next move… Okay, okay." She took a breath and looked to Lazuria, who was still a bit away, her guilty expression evident to Summer. The blacksmith then chose to walk over and take her hand. "Lazuria, I know you're blaming yourself."

The wolf woman looked up, shaking her head. "Don't say it's not my fault. I brought you all into this."

Even with the arguing with Raven she just endured, and knowing her husband was in a dangerous place, Summer still managed to smile as she shook her head. "You didn't do a thing. Those people have hurt you, and so many others. We wouldn't need just one person to bring us into something this important. It would happen eventually. Honestly, I'm happy that we've learned about this sooner rather than later."

"But your husband-."

"Is somewhere I don't want him to be, yes, but my team is right. He's counting on us to figure out our next move." Summer squeezed her hand. "That's finding a way to meet Tai out of their base for reconnaissance. And to keep you safe, for you little wolf."

Lazuria's eyes welled up with tears at the thought of Weiss. She lowered her head as she couldn't deny how much she wanted to be rid of her hell, and to just meet the daughter she never got to raise. "Thank you…"

Summer squeezed her shoulder. She then turned to face Qrow and Raven. "We've been a team for years. Tai will find a place to go to meet us when they let him out as one of their own… So we figure out the where and wait for him."

Raven lowered her arms, nodding to her leader. "Good to see you're finally figuring out what we can do. I'll start figuring out spots he'd pick, but, to be honest, I think in the end you'll figure it out first, Summer Rose." She let out a light smirk, walking away from the two as she needed to be alone for awhile.

The blacksmith watched her go, letting out a small smile, as she understood what Raven was trying to tell her. Qrow on the other hand took a seat at one of the tables and groaned, reaching for his flask as he looked tired. "Ugh… Dealing with two arguing women takes a lot out of a person."

Lazuria rolled her eyes. "From the short time I've known you all, you tend to be the one that causes the most problems."

Qrow was in mid swig, looking confused. "Say what?"

"Your constant messing around with Tai, and I can tell you and your sister argue far more than I've already seen." Lazuria figured, while Summer let out a light laugh and Qrow groaned, having been called out.

* * *

Weiss was thinking to herself of the possibility of Lazuria being the person who was with her Mother in Menagerie all those years ago, but she wouldn't bring it up with Kali at the moment. Yang on the other hand tried to keep things going. "So, Weiss' Mom just showed up on Menagerie one day?"

"It was quite a surprise to me, yes. I believe she just felt the need to see what our little island was about. Not many tend to really care outside of Faunus… But when I saw her on the island, I felt gravitated towards her." Kali explained.

Blake would try to steal a glance or two at Weiss, and since the wolf girl had been paying more attention to Kali, she didn't notice Blake.

"You said a Schnee wasn't a shocking sight?" Weiss asked.

"Right. You probably think that saying how most people don't tend to focus on our island, that a Schnee had an even lesser chance to, but I wasn't lying when I said that. Before Ghira, those in charge would actually speak with your Grandfather. Nothing I knew as much in detail, but meeting the daughter of the man who would speak to Menagerie's leader did help in understanding more." Kali answered happily, as the memory of their talks would lift her spirits.

Yang piped up again. "Wow, there's a lot of history there then. Never woulda thought Ice Wolf and Blake coulda met years ago."

Kali's ears drooped when Yang said that, as the three girls noticed. "That's the thing… Willow never really visited the island after a time. We kept some contact, but…"

Weiss couldn't stay quiet. "Was it because of my Father?" It was one of the few times Weiss would refer to Jacques as her Father.

"Not just him. Many things we talked about. I understood though, since she had a lot to handle." Kali smiled still. "But now I've gotten to meet her little girl." Weiss blushed a little. "I know this sounds a bit selfish, but do you think you could ask your Mother to give me a call?"

There was no reason to deny her of that. "Of course, Mrs. Belladonna. I'll let her know tonight."

"Thank you." Kali had a bit of hope at that point, as the door opened again, and Ruby walked in.

"Oh, what are you guys huddled up for?" Ruby asked when she saw her team surrounding a scroll.

"My Mother is on video, Ruby." Blake explained, as Weiss moved a bit to give her partner some room to scoot in, and when she did, the rose girl smiled and looked at the screen.

"Hi, Blake's Mom!" Ruby grinned, showing her more innocent way of greeting people, as Kali chuckled at her high enthusiasm.

"Well hello to you too, Ruby. Your sister told me a bit about you already, but it's nice to actually get to meet you." Kali greeted, and Ruby glared at her sister.

Yang looked confused, as Ruby pointed at her in an accusing manner. "You better not have made up things about me, Yang! I don't want Blake's Mom to think I'm weird."

The blonde blinked a few times. "Uh, I don't have to make anything up to make you look weird, sis. You kinda do that yourself by pointing at me like a crazy person."

Kali continued to lightly laugh in response, while Ruby was blushing from embarrassment. "S-Shut up! I am so not as weird as you could be! Mrs. Blake's Mom, if she didn't tell you, Yang cuddles with her hair every- EEP!" Ruby was pounced on by her big sister, while Weiss had moved back, holding her hands up.

"Ugh… You almost just knocked Blake and I down, you brute…" Weiss groaned, while Kali laughed even more.

Blake actually managed to smile, looking at the screen. "This is my team, Mom."

Kali wiped a few tears away, still giggling a bit while Ruby and Yang were wrestling on the ground. "I can see that you're in good hands then, kitten."

Weiss was surprised by that, since Yang was the only one to have heard Kali call Blake that. "Kitten?"

"That's twice now…" Blake groaned, almost wanting to set the scroll down to show her Mom that she doesn't want to be called kitten in front of her friends.

"Oh come now. I bet Willow calls Weiss here something similar." Kali said with confidence, as Weiss blushed a little.

"S-She does, yes." Weiss admitted, and Kali waited on it. "W-What?" When Kali smirked, Blake groaned a bit at her Mother's persistence, while Weiss looked away. "S-She calls me her little snowflake…"

Kali clapped her hands together. "Awww, see, Blake. Every Mother does the same thing. There's nothing to be embarrassed of."

"Mom… Weiss is literally burying her face into my shoulder to avoid eye contact." Blake said with a deadpan face, as she could feel her friend digging her face into her, while Weiss muttered a muffled a 'No I'm not' into her shoulder. "Yes, you are, Weiss."

"You kids just get easily embarrassed is all." Kali countered with a smile, while Blake couldn't help but smile back, since she didn't want to make a big deal out of it.

"Maybe so, but… Um, It was really nice seeing you again, Mom. Maybe when Dad gets back, we can talk more?" Blake requested, as Weiss raised her head off of Blake, looking happy with what she asked for.

Kali's ears perked up. "Of course, honey. I'll call you the moment your Father gets back."

Ruby quickly got up and ran up to the scroll. "W-Wait, I barely got to talk to you! The fighting is so not that common in here…"

"Don't worry, Ruby. I don't think you or your sister is weird at all." Kali assured. "Still, I'd be happy to get to know the leader of my daughter's team a bit more, if Blake is okay keeping me on the line."

Blake playfully rolled her eyes. "Knock yourself out."

While Ruby started to tell Kali about herself, Yang got back up in her defeated state, grumbling about how she let Ruby win.

Weiss was quietly listening in, but kept to her thoughts more than anything.

The wolf girl looked to her partner, who was happily continuing to talk to Kali. She knew they still needed to talk about her advancements in her Hidden abilities, but she also needed to ask her partner for help, in getting her life back together.

" _I can't keep dwelling on everything that's happened. I have my own life to live."_

* * *

 **I know that this chapter took way too long to come out, but like I say many times, the spark has to be there. If it isn't, I just feel like there wouldn't be much to work with. I have plans still, and this chapter is setting up those plans.**

 **I won't make a fake promise and say the next chapter will be out so soon, but I will try my best to not make the wait that long. Maybe even a day or two, but again, I don't want to make a fake promise.**

 **To JJ- Angry Summer isn't too happy, but she's trying to step up so things won't end up going south. It only took Raven and Qrow to get her to see that. As for a flashback chapter, I may do it at some point. Just wanna find a spot where it won't break the momentum of other plot points.**

 **To Maow- I should be thanking you and everyone who's read my story. I appreciate that you took the time to binge read this and I can tell you I have a lot more planned for this story. So it won't end anytime soon.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 128. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 129.**


	129. I'm Not Angry

**Here's chapter 129, everyone.**

* * *

"What are you thinking we do today?" Yang asked the team from her bed.

Ruby looked over from her own bunk, pressing her finger up to her chin in thought. "Hmm, well it's the weekend, and Mom is supposed to show up soon. Soooo, maybe ask if she can make some adjustments to our weapons?"

Weiss perked up at that, looking up from her bunk. "I'm surprised you'd even want to make any changes to your scythe, Ruby. Anytime anyone gets close to it, you guard it like your life depends on it."

"Well duh, because it does. It's my weapon that I use to defend myself with. I'm totally useless without it in a fight, but it is my Mom after all. I obviously trust her with my baby." Ruby replied with a grin.

"There she goes, calling a scythe her baby again." Yang teased, earning a pout from her younger sister.

Weiss simply rolled her eyes and shrugged. "I personally don't believe Myrtenaster needs any adjustments. It was your Mother who worked on it after all, so I'm not really sure there's anything else she can do for it."

"Not true. That was years ago, and Mom can do anything if she is super focused on it." Ruby praised, while Weiss still didn't feel like she needed an upgrade.

"I appreciate the thought, Ruby, but I'm okay. I'll still go with you if you'd like, but not for my own weapon." Weiss remarked.

Ruby wanted to try and say more, but she felt it was better to respect her partner's wishes and left it alone. "Okay, Wolfy," Weiss groaned in response, while Ruby giggled and looked to Blake. "What about you, Blake? Anything you wanna do?"

Blake was putting away one of the books she'd draw in, shrugging at the question. "Not sure honestly. If going to see your Mom about weapon upgrades, I'll go too, but I'm kind of in the same boat with Weiss. I don't really think I'll want to make any changes."

"Ugghhhh, you guys are so lame… Though I guess I did say that Crescent Rose is perfect and doesn't need changes." Ruby chuckled to herself.

"You're too much of a hassle, Ruby Rose." Weiss said as she got up from her bed.

"Last names this early? Gonna have to watch out for any nasty bites from our Ice Wolf." Yang teased, earning a death glare from the white haired girl. "E-Easy now, Ice Wolf. Was just teasing."

"Uh huh." Weiss was already dressed for the day and started to head out of the dorm, looking over her shoulder. "I'm going for a short walk. I have some calls to make, so if you know what time we'll be visiting your Mother, Ruby, message me."

Ruby looked a little concerned for her partner. "Are you okay?"

Weiss sighed, turning to show her partner how she looked. "Ruby, stop worrying over every little thing I do by myself. It's honestly a little annoying, no offense."

Yang chuckled and laid back on her bed. "Can you really blame her, Ice Wolf?"

"N-No, she's right. I shouldn't overly worry. Go on, Weiss. I'll let you know when we're ready to go." Ruby assured, as Weiss responded with a thankful nod and left the room. "Ugh, I didn't think it annoyed her."

"Eh, she's not wrong to be honest. I mean, trust me, Ruby. I don't blame you at all for being worried, but Weiss is a big girl and can handle herself too. She doesn't always need someone to help her." Yang explained.

"I know… She's strong, but I just can't help it sometimes." Ruby pouted while grabbing her pillow and placing her face down on it.

Blake spoke up next. "Try not to make a big deal out of it, Ruby. Just think about seeing your Mom later."

Ruby blushed a little out of embarrassment, since she got called out on being such a worrywart. "Okay, okay. Sorry."

Blake and Yang chuckled a little, since she wasn't upset about anything, more so she was just being her pouty self.

Weiss held her scroll in her hands, sighing to herself since she didn't know if she really wanted to make the call in the first place. " _Just call her. It's not that hard."_

With a few taps on her scroll, she managed to get to her contact list and started to call her Mother. After a few moments, Weiss could hear the nervousness in her Mother's voice. "Weiss... "

"Mother…" Weiss took a few moments, knowing both were very much unable to think of what to really say, but she had to just up and speak. "I'm not angry."

"Winter said you wouldn't be." Willow sighed. "You have to know, I couldn't say anything… I only wanted you to live a happy life that your Mother-."

"Stop it. We already talked about this. YOU are my Mother, and honestly, this isn't why I called you, Mom." Weiss stated, surprising Willow. "I spoke with Blake's Mother. Kali Belladonna. You know her, right?"

Willow's eyes shot open, though luckily it wasn't a video call, so Weiss didn't see. "Kali? Wait… Blake Belladonna. I can't believe I didn't put two and two together." She sighed. "Yes, I know Kali, but… I haven't spoken to her in years."

"I know, she told me, but I did promise to ask you to contact her if you can. From what she told me, she was your friend, Mother." Weiss said with concern.

"She was, yes, but… There was just so much going on in my life, sweetie. Not to mention, Jacques… He made things very difficult in terms of going back to Menagerie." Willow explained. "I-I know it sounds like I'm making excuses-."

"No, you're not." Weiss interrupted. "Blake's Mother didn't exactly explain the details, but she told me you had a lot to focus on… Which I'm guessing meant me."

Willow frowned, but refused to let Weiss make herself seem like she was the one at fault. "Don't insinuate such things. You're my number one priority, along with your sister and brother, but that doesn't mean just because I chose to focus on my children, that I couldn't make time for my friends. If there is anyone to blame, it truly is me."

Weiss let out a somber chuckle. "The blame game will get us nowhere, Mom… Just promise me you'll try to call Mrs. Belladonna. She really wants to speak again."

"I will… And thank you for bringing this up to me, my little Snowflake. Kali is a dear friend of mine, and… And I hate that I couldn't find the time to call her, but I'll make up for lost time." Willow assured, and took a breath. "Still, I'll go to Beacon this week. We need to-."

"Talk. I know." Weiss closed her eyes for a moment, thinking about everything that's happened with her. "We will, but I'm doing better now. I would really like to focus more on my studies here at Beacon."

Willow couldn't help but smile at that, since her daughter always expressed the desire to become a huntress at a young age, and ever since the personal problems of her birth and heritage popped up, she worried that Weiss' dreams of becoming a huntress would have to be put on hold. Hearing her expressing that desire again brought joy to Willow's heart.

"Will my little Snowflake still be the Shining Knight that she wanted to be all those years ago?" Willow couldn't help but tease, missing the bonding she could have with her daughter.

Weiss blushed heavily and almost dropped her scroll. "M-Mother we've talked about that! Ugh, I was eight when I said that silly title…"

Willow gently laughed a bit, holding her hand up to her mouth to suppress her laughter. "I'm sorry, sweetie. I just enjoyed the memory. You were always so excited to be called that one day when you become a huntress."

"Hmph, well that was still back when I was a child. I am almost eighteen now, so 'The Shining Knight' title is not exactly what you call a respectable name for a huntress." Weiss stated, pouting a bit at the teasing.

"Well I still think it's a good title, but if you do come up with another, you know I'll want to know. So I can proudly tell the others of the huntress that I raised." Willow genuinely said, as Weiss' heart skipped a beat.

"Mom…" Weiss let out a small smile. "You'll be the first to know… And… Thank you." She knew their little back and forth about her old title was something that Willow brought up so they could bond again, something Weiss really needed.

"You don't have to thank me, Snowflake. I love you and can't wait to see you with your huntress license." Willow said supportingly.

Weiss gently grabbed her pendant, squeezing it close as she was happy that she and her Mother wouldn't grow apart like how she had been with Whitley. "I should go, Mom. Um, when do you think you'll come over?"

"This week. I promise to let you know a day before I go." Willow answered. "You can ask me anything right now though… I can't just ignore anything you have on your mind about all of this, Snowflake."

"There's enough to not really discuss over the scroll, Mom, but I did already learn a good bit about myself." Weiss stated, but continued since she had at least a few things she could ask. "Did you ever think that there was a good time to tell me, or anyone for that matter?"

Willow thought about how to answer that. "There was never a 'good' time to tell you, but I did want to deep down. I wanted you to know the truth, to see your birth Mother and hug her. To see you both having that moment. I didn't want you to not know for your entire life."

Weiss ran her hand through her hair, feeling her heart beating a bit faster. "I see. Well, what made you choose the people you told about me?"

"You mean Klein?" Willow let out a small smile. "Because he knew of your birth Mother, and from how much he showed care and compassion for your older sister, I knew he would do the same for you, and that's why I wanted him to know the truth, to know the real you."

Hearing that brought a tear to Weiss' face, as she squeezed her wolf pendant a bit harder. "He always did make me feel like I had a Father… Thank you for telling him back then, Mom."

"Don't thank me, sweetie. Honestly, I myself need to thank him more than ever." Willow stated.

Weiss looked down the hall, noticing Nora was turning a corner and saw her. "Uh oh… Um, Mom I'll speak with you later. I think one of my friends is about to try and tackle me…"

Willow was confused, but from knowing Summer for so long, she had experience being tackled by a friend. "Good luck, sweetie. I love you, and good luck."

"Love you too, Mom." Weiss instantly pocketed her scroll as Nora ran over and tackled her, making her groan as they tumbled. "Ow… Why…"

"I never got to say thank you to you personally for Kuroyuri!" Nora smiled and hugged her friend as Weiss was gasping for air.

"Y-You're welcome… Air, p-please…" Weiss struggled saying as Nora released her and grinned. "Ugh… Do you not know your own strength, Nora…"

Nora kept her happy grin on as she shrugged. "Heh, sorry bout that, Weiss. Sooooo, whatcha doing out in the halls by yourself? I coulda sworn you'd have Ruby stuck to you."

Weiss blushed and crossed her arms. "W-What do you mean by that? Ruby is not always around me, Valkyrie…" Nora smirked and gave her a knowing look. "W-What?"

"You already told us you two are together, together, so what's the point in trying to hide it, silly?" Nora questioned.

"Ugh, you're worse than Yang." Weiss groaned, dropping her arms in defeat. "I was just making a few private calls, that YOU interrupted."

Nora rubbed the back of her head. "Oh… Whoops."

Weiss rolled her eyes, but realized she was close to her locker. "Hmm, well, I guess you can make it up to me with a sparring match? I don't want to lose my touch."

"Ooh! You never challenge me to spar! I'll go get my stuff!" Nora quickly ran to her locker, as Weiss blinked a few times, wondering if she made a mistake in requesting for a spar with the orange haired girl.

"Wait, what did I just do…"

* * *

Willow put her scroll away and sighed, looking down at her lap as she was glad that the call she had with her daughter didn't go the way she thought it would. "She forgave me again… All I ever do is make things harder on her, and yet she forgives me."

As she said that, she slowly got up and began to walk out of her room, but was met with Jacques opening the door. "Hmm… I didn't think you'd be in here."

"This was still my room too, Jacques. Could you please step aside so I can get some breakfast…" Willow didn't want to deal with his bullshit at that point.

Jacques knew not to grab at her, but he didn't move aside either. "We should still talk about your recent behavior. Is it so bad to-."

"We already talked, and from how you just spoke to me, I doubt repeating everything we talked about will do anything." Willow remarked. "So, I'll ask again to please step aside."

The CEO sighed, stepping slightly to the side, showing that he wouldn't cause trouble, but he wasn't ready to just drop the subject. "Do you even care about where you live? How you live? All I've done was make sure we stayed at the top."

"The top of what, Jacques? A mountain of oppression? Well, good luck with that lonely mountaintop you get to stand on, because I want nothing to do with it." Willow said as she began to walk.

"Will you just give me a moment to speak?" Jacques said, raising his voice slightly.

Hearing how loud he almost got made Willow stop and take a deep breath, before turning around to stare at him. "That right there. You almost exploded just because I don't agree with you. I'm not expecting you to understand what I mean."

"I'm not a damn simpleton, Willow. I know exactly what life has to offer, and grasping at the most you can take, is what everyone strives for. You even told me yourself, that gi… Weiss, she wants to be a huntress, correct?" Jacques questioned, surprising Willow.

"Yes, she does, and before you even think about getting in the way of that-."

"I have no intentions of that, but you still know that she probably wants to be at the top just like anyone would. What is so damn wrong about keeping our place in this world?" Jacques asked.

Willow sighed, almost feeling like she truly lost someone again. "You just won't get it, and I tried telling you it was a waste of time repeating myself. I'll say it again though, even though you won't listen. Your ideal life is for you alone, Jacques. Let them, and myself pick what we wish to do with our lives."

"There is more danger in-."

"Enough. Stop acting like you care what happens to us." Willow said coldly, turning on her heel. "Just do what I said before and keep to yourself. I won't cause any public eye trouble, and you will leave yourself out."

Jacques grit his teeth, clenching his fists as he was about to try and grab at his wife's arm, but realized what she said.

" _She doesn't know a damn thing. I've kept them safe… I took in that child… Winter chose to leave, and so did Weiss. I don't need her to tell me whether I care or not. That damn woman should be thanking me!"_

With that, the conflicted CEO slammed his door shut and Willow frowned when she heard it, walking off to the kitchen with that familiar pain in her heart.

* * *

 **I know it's been awhile since I updated this, but there isn't much to really say other than that I just didn't have the motivation to. I went to RTX and saw the RWBY panel which sort of gave me a bit of inspiration back because of the new poster, so we'll see if I can keep up on updates. Sorry for taking so long on this.**

 **To JJ- Yeah, I had a thought of having Summer really lash out, but it felt like it would go extend the chapter too much. As for the flashback, we'll see if I want to work on it for this or not. There's a lot to work on with this story still, so I got lots of ideas that may not make it in. I also want to apologize for taking so long on updating this.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 129. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 130.**


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